Ruin of Roman Britain - An Archaeological Perspective

This book employs new archaeological and historical evidence to explain how and why Roman Britain became Anglo-Saxon England.

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Violence and warfare; 3. Economic collapse; 4. Elite display in the fourth century; 5. Elite display in the fifth and sixth centuries; 6. Civitates, kingdoms, estates and regions; 7. The ruin of Roman Britain; 8. Final thoughts; Appendix A. Cemetery sites and weapon trauma; Appendix B. Pottery assemblages.

About the author

James Gerrard is a Lecturer in Roman Archaeology at Newcastle University. He previously held a position at the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research in Cambridge and worked extensively in commercial archaeology. His research focuses on the end of Roman Britain and particularly the impact of the fall of the Western Roman Empire on the use and production of material culture, and he has published widely on late Roman pottery, coins and hoarding, including the internationally significant hoard of metal vessels discovered at Drapers' Gardens in the City of London in 2007. His publications include Debating Late Antiquity in Britain AD 300–700 (with Rob Collins, 2004) and a major excavation monograph A Roman Settlement and Bathhouse at Shadwell (with A. Douglas and B. Sudds, 2011). He is a member of the Institute for Archaeologists and the Study Group for Roman Pottery, and is a Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society.

Summary

This book examines the process of change that transformed Roman Britain into a patchwork of early medieval kingdoms. It also discusses new archaeological and historical evidence to argue against warfare and economic collapse as explanations. Instead, emphasis is placed on how elites attempted to maintain their control and power in a time of change.

Product details

• Authors: James Gerrard, James (University of Newcastle Upon Tyne) Gerrard, Gerrard James
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 10.10.2013
• EAN: 9781107038639
• ISBN: 978-1-107-03863-9
• No. of pages: 366
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Pre and early history; Social sciences, law, business > Social sciences (general); Europe, European History, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, CE period up to c 1500, United Kingdom, Great Britain, Ancient World, Colonialism and imperialism, Ancient History, Classical history / classical civilisation, Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500, Archaeology by period / region, British Isles, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, European history: medieval period, middle ages, BCE to c 500 CE, C 500 CE To C 1000 CE, BCE period – Protohistory, Classical Greek & Roman archaeology