The Romans Who Shaped Britain

by Moorhead, Sam; Stuttard, David

• ISBN13: 9780500251898
• ISBN10: 0500251894
• Edition: 00
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-05-01
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Summary

Roman Britain was created not by impersonal historical forces, but by men and women, each driven by ambition, aspiration and passion. A fresh, fast-moving account, this book explores the narrative of Britannia through the lives of its emperors, commanders, governors, officials and rebels. This rich cast of characters includes some, such as Caesar, Agricola and Boudica, who may be familiar; and others, such as Carausius, Magnentius or Valentinus, who deserve to be more so. Their lives and actions are set against the backdrop of an evolving landscape, in which Iron Age shrines were being replaced by marble temples, industrial-scale factories and granaries were springing up across the countryside along with a triumphal arch, towering into the Kent sky to mark Romes domination. The Romans voice their own opinions and give their own accounts in numerous quotations from ancient sources. Inset feature boxes give fascinating extra detail and background, based on the latest archaeological evidence. The Romans Who Shaped Britain, by setting out the story as a single narrative, above all reminds us of the truly epic nature of the history of Britannia.

Table of Contents

Introduction Re-Imagining Roman Britain	p. 6
To Boldly Go	p. 12
Elephants and Castles	p. 39
Revolt	p. 64
Shock and Awe versus Hearts and Minds	p. 88
The Limits of the World	p. 120
Band of Brothers	p. 135
The Scourge of Scotland	p. 144
The Britannic Empire	p. 168
Blessed Isle	p. 182
Turmoil	p. 198
Meltdown	p. 212
Praying for the Coming
of the Once and Future King	p. 239
Epilogue	p. 251
Timeline of Roman Britain	p. 252
Glossary of Roman Administrative Terms and Titles	p. 256
Notes	p. 258
Further Reading	p. 275
Acknowledgments	p. 283
Illustration Sources	p. 284
Index	p. 285
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