Scandinavians came to Britain long before Vikings and Anglo-Saxons, finds study

Genetic analysis of Roman soldier or gladiator buried in York reveals 25% of his ancestry came from Scandinavia

People with Scandinavian ancestry were in Britain long before the Anglo-Saxons or the Vikings turned up, researchers have found after studying the genetics of an ancient Roman buried in York.

The arrival of the Anglo-Saxons brought an influx of Scandinavians to ancient Britain in the fifth century, with the first major Viking raid – which targeted the monastery at Lindisfarne – occurring in AD793.

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