The Earliest Afrians in Britian

                                                         The earliest evidence of Africans in Britain is in the year 43 AD when Roman rule took over the island of Britain. There was an auxiliary unit of the Roman army that were called the Numerous Maurorum Aurelianorum. This unit took its place near the Handrian's wall where they were in charge of guarding and controlling Romes furthest reaches of their empire. This military group occupied the southern part of Britain for three and a half centuries. Africans in this time and in this military could hold powerful positions such as Emperor Septimius Severus . When he arrived in Britain in AD 203 and when he died in AD 211 he was cremated in York. York was the the capital of Roman ruled Britain, Severus was entitled to a very elaborate and ceremonial cremation.

     During his time as a high powered military officer, Severus legalized marriage during military service. This causing marriages between the African Romans and the citizens of the area where they were stationed. There is no hard evidence that all the soldiers returned to Africa after their mandatory military service, it is a popular belief that many actually stayed in Britain due to the new marriage law. It is believed that many of the Africans that came with the Romans decided to stay in Britain due to not only the marriages but because Britain at that time was seen to be a more peaceful land to settle in then in Africa. Many scholars consider this Roman army as Britain's first diaspora for the African people.