Rescript of Honorius

The Rescript of Honorius was a Letter (Rescript) sent to the Britons by the Roman Emperor Honorius in 409-410 CE, telling them to look after their own defense.
It is considered to be the official legal document ending Roman Rule in Britannia.

This Letter is quoted by a Greek Historian called Zosimus writing during the Byzantine Empire in the reign of Anastasius I (491-518 CE).
The Emperor Honorius sent the Rescript from Ravenna, from where he was unable to prevent the First Sack of Rome in 410 CE.

In 383 CE, Magnus Maximus took the Legions in Britannia to Gaul where he defeated the Emperor Gratian and ruled Gaul and Britannia together. In 388 CE, whilst en-route to invade Italy, he was defeated in Pannonia by the Emperor Theodosius I.
Raids started in 383 CE by the Saxons, Picts and Scots.
In 395 CE Theodosius I died and his ten year old son Honorius became Emperor. The Roman General Stilicho was left in charge of the Empire.
Between 396-398 CE, the last record of Roman Military intervention in Britannia, is an instruction by Stilicho to conduct a campaign against the Picts.
408 CE The remaining Legions were taken to Trier, Gallia Belgica by another usurper Constantine III and never returned.
408-9 CE unprotected by the Legions, Britannia was then devastated by two major Saxon raids.
This was a replay of The Great Conspiracy of 367-368 CE when waves of Saxons, Franks, Picts, Scotti and Attacotti had attacked and burnt British Cities.
According to Zosimus and Gildas, the consequence was that Britannia revolted against Roman Rule and Law, and expelled all the Roman Magistrates from British cities, furious that Rome had not protected them.
409-410 CE Honorius then sent the ‘Rescript of Honorius’, telling the Britons they must in future defend themselves.
The Legions were never sent back to Britannia.

In 383 CE the Legions in Britannia had been taken to Gaul by Magnus Maximus.
In 408 CE the remaining Legions were taken to Trier by Constantine III and never returned, leaving Britannia undefended.
Therefore, the Rescript of Honorius, sent in 409-410 CE, is considered by historians to be the Official Legal Document ending Roman Rule in Britannia.