Severe drought helped bring about a ‘barbarian' invasion of Roman Britain

A severe three-year drought helped bring about a 'barbarian' invasion of Roman Britain in 367 CE, a new study finds. In that year, Roman troops stationed at Hadrian's Wall on the empire's northern frontier rebelled, and three different 'barbarian' groups invaded Roman Britain, with the Picts attacking northern Britain from Scotland, the Scoti invading western Britain from Ireland and the Saxons invading southern Britain from the European continent.

- OWEN JARUS

The rebellion and attacks weakened the Western Roman Empire's hold on the province of Britannia. The violence led to the capture or deaths of senior Roman commanders, and some Roman soldiers are said to have deserted to join the 'barbarians'.

Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus, who lived circa 330 to 395 CE, claimed in his book