The Roman Invasion of Britain: Archaeology Versus History

by Birgitta Hoffmann

Overview

The purpose of this book is to take what we think we know about the Roman Conquest of Britain from historical sources, and compare it with the archaeological evidence, which is often contradictory. Archaeologists and historians all too often work in complete isolation from each other and this book hopes to show the dangers of neglecting either form of evidence. In the process it challenges much received wisdom about the history of Roman Britain. 

Birgitta Hoffmann tackles the subject by taking a number of major events or episodes (such as Caesar's incursions, Claudius' invasion, Boudicca's revolt), presenting the accepted narrative as derived from historical sources, and then presenting the archaeological evidence for the same. The result of this innovative approach is a book full of surprising and controversial conclusions that will appeal to the general reader as well as those studying or teaching courses on ancient history or archaeology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473826847
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/31/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	360,742
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Dr Birgitta Hoffmann teaches archaeology at the University of Liverpool and is also co-director of the Roman Gask Project (excavating the Gask Ridge frontier system in Perthshire, which predates Hadrian's Wall by half a century).

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations vi

Preface viii

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 A Few Things to Consider When Reading Ancient Historians 6

Chapter 2 Caesar Visits Britain 14

Chapter 3 Commius and the Caesarian Aftermath 29

Chapter 4 The British Forces at the Time of the Invasions - the View from the Other Side? 35

Chapter 5 Caligula, Claudius and the Conquest of Britain 42

Chapter 6 After the Invasion 69

Chapter 7 Boudicca 88

Chapter 8 Rebuilding the Province 106

Chapter 9 Moving Beyond Brigantia 116

Chapter 10 The Second Century in Roman Britain - A Time With Little History? 138

Chapter 11 The Severans and Britain in the Third Century AD 161

Chapter 12 Carausius and the Early Fourth Century 177

Chapter 13 The Barbarian Conspiracy and the End of Roman Britain 191

Appendix 1 Orosius on the Conquest of Britain under Claudius 203

Appendix 2 Notitia Dignitatum 205

Bibliography 207

Index 217

Editorial Reviews

"Unlike accounts that rely almost exclusively on the fragmentary literary records, this volume incorporates the archaeological record to supplement, support, or refute what Roman or post-Roman writers have said about the British Isles. Recommended. General readers, lower-division undergraduates, and students in two-year technical programs."

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