After the Romans pulled out of Britannia at the beginning of the 5th century AD, many Saxons settled there in their stead, laying the foundations of what would eventually become England. Originally from along the northern European coast, their name is derived from their characteristic weapon, the 'seax' dagger.ĭuring the early stages of the Roman Empire, the Saxons were fragmented and tenacious, gradually spreading across Europe with no singular leader.
The Saxons were first mentioned by name in Ptolemy's 'Geographica' in AD130, with reference to the 'Saxones' tribe north of the Elbe River.
