History of the Isle of Wight inhabitants of southern Britain at this time may indeed have been Germanic, rather than Celtic, which could re-open the possibility of the island's name having Germanic roots. The Romans occupied southern Britain, including the Isle of Wight, for nearly four hundred years. The Romans built no towns on the island, but it became an agricultural centre, and at least seven Roman villas are known. The Roman villas at Newport and Brading have been excavated and are open to the public. When fully developed around 300 AD, Brading was probably the largest on the Island, being a courtyard villa with impressive
Terminology of the British Isles II, Chapter 1 of as "Iwernia, Bretanic Island", and Chapter 2 as "Alwion [sic], Bretanic Island". The name "Albion" for Great Britain fell from favour, and the island was described in Greek as Πρεττανία or Βρεττανία, in Latin "Britannia", an inhabitant as Βρεττανός, "Britannus", with the adjective Βρεττανικός, "Britannicus", equating to "British". With the Roman conquest of Britain the name Britannia was used for the province of Roman Britain. The Emperor Claudius was honoured with the agnomen "Britannicus" as if he were the conqueror, and coins were struck from AD 46 inscribed or . With the visit of Hadrian in