British rebellion against Roman legions caused by drought, research finds

The pivotal barbarian conspiracy' of AD367 saw Picts, Scotti and Saxons inflicting crushing blows on Roman defences

A series of exceptionally dry summers that caused famine and social breakdown were behind one of the most severe threats to Roman rule of Britain, according to new academic research.

The rebellion, known as the barbarian conspiracy", was a pivotal moment in Roman Britain. Picts, Scotti and Saxons took advantage of Britain's descent into anarchy to inflict crushing blows on weakened Roman defences in the spring and summer of AD367.