"An examination of the transformations in lowland Britain's material culture over the course of the long fifth century CE during the late Roman regime and its end"--
Why did Rome abandon Britain in the early 5th century? According to Neil Faulkner, the centralized, military-bureaucratic state, governed by a class of super-rich landlords and apparatchiks, had siphoned wealth out of the province, with the result that the towns declined and the countryside was depressed. When the army withdrew to defend the imperial heartlands, the remaining Romano-British elite succumbed to a combination of warlord power, barbarian attack, and popular revolt.
This book explains what Britain was like in the fourth century AD and how this can only be understood in the wider context of the western Roman Empire.
The enormous hoard of beautiful gold military objects found in 2009 in a field in Staffordshire has focused huge attention on the mysterious world of 7th and 8th century Britain. This book discusses the tumultuous centuries between the departure of the Roman legions and the arrival of Norman invaders nearly seven centuries later.
'One could not ask for a more meticulous or scholarly assessment of what Britain meant to the Romans, or Rome to Britons, than Peter Salway's Monumental Study' Frederick Raphael, Sunday Times From the invasions of Julius Caesar to the unexpected end of Roman rule in the early fifth century AD and the subsequent collapse of society in Britain, this book is the most authoritative and comprehensive account of Roman Britain ever published for the general reader. Peter Salway's narrative takes into account the latest research including exciting discoveries of recent years, and will be welcomed by anyone interested in Roman Britain.
The end of the Roman period and the early development of Post-Roman Kingdoms are two of the most important - and most debated - subjects for archaeologists and historians. Questioning many current assumptions, this book presents a radical reinterpretation of Britain in the period 400-600. Drawing attention to far greater similarities between immediately post-Roman Britain and the rest of Europe than previously thought possible, it highlights the importance of fifth-sixth-century Britain in understanding wider themes regarding the end of the Western roman empire as a whole. A very wide range of archaeological and written evidence from the whole of Britain is discussed, rather than focusing on either Anglo-Saxon or Celtic archaeology alone. Burials, settlements and religious centres are brought into the discussion, alongside new material and more obscure data from scattered sources. The final occupation of Roman towns, forts and villas is examined, and post-Roman hill-forts such as Tintagel, Dinas Powys and Cadbury Congresbury is evaluated. Anglo-Saxon and early Christian cemeteries such as Spong Hill and Cannington are considered, and evidence for the earliest British monasteries explored. This book not only offers an exciting new interpretation of Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries AD but is probably the most comprehensive survey of the archaeological and written evidence for the period. It will be indispensable for professional and amateurs archaeologists alike and invaluable for students of British, Roman or Medieval archaeology and history at all levels.
From renowned and respected author David Shotter, this updated and expanded edition of Roman Britain offers a concise introduction to this period, drawing on the wealth of recent scholarship to explain the progress of the Romans and their objectives in conquering Britain. Key topics discussed include: * the Roman conquest of Britain * the evolution of the frontier with Scotland * the infrastructure the Romans put in place * the place of religion in Roman Britain. Taking account of recent research, this second edition includes an expanded bibliography and a number of new plates which illustrate the various aspects of the Roman occupation of Britain.
Combining classical scholarship with recent archeological discoveries, Scullard recreates what life was like in Roman Britain, detailing merchants' activities, the mixing of pagan and Christian religions, and the emergence of the city.
Part of the Penguin History of Britain series, An Imperial Possession is the first major narrative history of Roman Britain for a generation. David Mattingly draws on a wealth of new findings and knowledge to cut through the myths and misunderstandings that so commonly surround our beliefs about this period. From the rebellious chiefs and druids who led native British resistance, to the experiences of the Roman military leaders in this remote, dangerous outpost of Europe, this book explores the reality of life in occupied Britain within the context of the shifting fortunes of the Roman Empire.
Superbly illustrated throughout, this illuminating account of Britain as a Roman province includes dramatic aerial views of Roman remains, reconstruction drawings and images of Roman villas, mosaics, coins, pottery and sculpture. The text has been updated to incorporate the latest research and recent discoveries, including the largest Roman coin hoard ever found in Britain, the thirty decapitated skeletons found in York and the magnificent Crosby Garrett parade helmet. Guy de la Bédoyère is one of the public faces of Romano-British history and archaeology through his many appearances on several television programmes and is the author of numerous books on the period.