Cross‐ N orth S ea Contacts in the R oman Period

Summary The N orth S ea formed a barrier to contact between B ritain and the C ontinental regions north of the R hine prior to the late fourth century AD . Whilst there is evidence for sporadic contacts between these two regions prior to this date, in the main these contacts probably occurred indirectly via the south D utch/ B elgian/north F rench region. From the late fourth century onwards, we have evidence for considerable cross‐ N orth S ea contact, first in the form of S axon piracy, and from the early/mid‐fifth century onwards, as population movements principally directed from north‐west G ermany to south‐east E ngland. The reasons for this change are outlined and discussed.