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Roman Britain and Early England: 55 B.C.-A.D. 871 (Norton Library History of England)

by Peter Hunter Blair (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 23 ratings
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"An excellent introduction to an obscure and difficult period." ―The Economist

By the time of Caesar's first expedition to Britain in 55 B.C., migratory movements had established close ties of kinship and common interest between the peoples who lived in Gaul and some of the inhabitants of Britain. Because the source material is so meager for much of early British history, Mr. Blair is careful to explain just how scholars have arrived at an accurate knowledge of the first 900 years.

The real history of Britain begins with the Roman occupation, for the Romans were the first to leave substantial documentary and archaeological evidence. After the governorship of Agricola the written sources almost entirely disappear until the early Anglo-Saxon era of the fifth century; but archaeologists have been able to gather a great deal of information about the intervening centuries from excavations of old walled towns, roads, and fortresses dating from the Roman period. Mr. Blair skillfully describes the transition from Roman to Saxon England and shows why Rome's greatest legacy to her former colony―Christianity―flowered within Anglo-Saxon culture. The source material on Saxon England is mainly documentary, as these new inhabitants built in wood and little archaeological evidence has survived. However, Bede's Ecclesiatical History of the English Nation and other great Christian writings, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Beowulf, the stories of Caedmon, and other poems and epics in the Germanic minstrelsy tradition, have revealed much about English economic, social, and cultural life up to the accession of Alfred the Great.
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  1. ISBN-10
    0393003612
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0393003611
  3. Publisher
    W. W. Norton & Company
  4. Publication date
    October 17, 1966
  5. Language
    English
  6. Dimensions
    5.1 x 0.7 x 7.7 inches
  7. Print length
    292 pages
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

An excellent introduction to an obscure and difficult period. -- The Economist

From the Back Cover

The special aim of this series is to provide serious and yet challenging books, not buried under a mountain of detail. Each volume is intended to provide a picture and an appreciation of its age, as well as a lucid outline, written by an expert who is keen to make available and alive the findings of modern research.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company (October 17, 1966)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393003612
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393003611
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 0.7 x 7.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
23 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

John Crumbley
5.0 out of 5 stars It's Those Romans Again
Reviewed in the United States on April 6, 2022
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It reads well and should list books that go deeper in any direction you want to go. Nice portable size for when I don't have my ebook on hand.
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Ricardo Mio
4.0 out of 5 stars From Caesar to Alfred the Great
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2014
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I had read "Alfred the Great: The Man Who Made England" by Justin Pollard, and wanted to learn more about England prior to Alfred's nineth-century reign. Peter Hunter Blair's book was just the ticket. I must admit, after Pollard's quick-paced prose, Blair's narrative seemed a bit slow at first. However, I plodded on. After adjusting to Blair's more academic style, I was rewarded with a fascinating and rewarding read. This is a good, well-researched book. The one drawback was Blair's tendency to jump forward in time and back again, in order to make some historical connection, which to me seemed unnecessary and interrupted the narrative flow; a small quibble and my reason for the four-star rating.

None other than Julius Caesar led the invasion and conquest of an island off the northwest coast of Europe they named Britannia. Why conquer Britain? Because they could, and to exploit the island's resources: iron, lead, copper and tin, plus cattle, hides, corn and wheat, dogs (British dogs were highly sought after in Rome) and slaves. After the conquest, it was a matter of maintaining military, administrative and commercial control; building a network of communications roads (10,000 miles in all, arrow-straight and stone paved), establishing fortified cities such as London, Chester, Bath and York, and creating villas for the military elite, by the sweat of slave labor. When the Romans departed 400 years later the Anglo-Saxons filled the void through a series of migrations over many years, as opposed to a sudden hostile invasion as once thought. The Anglo-Saxons were farmers. In the beginning there were a number of Anglo-Saxon kings, each ruling a separate territory. They were forever at war with one another until Egbert of Wessex consolidated English rule under his authority. Anglo-Saxon rule was highly arbitrary, whatever the king and his cronies decided. Egbert's grandson, Alfred the Great, changed that with the introduction of uniform written laws that with time evolved into English Common Law.

The author's careful research has shed considerable light on a number of ancient sources that in turn have dispelled the notion of Britain ever having undergone a "Dark Age" like the rest of Europe. Toward the end of his book, Blair focuses on the impact of Christianity--introduced by the Romans--and its lasting effect on English culture. Blair sums up: "Although Roman roads remain today as the most strikingly visible legacy of four centuries of occupation, there is substance in the claim that the most precious legacy of Roman Britain to posterity was the Christian faith."
9 people found this helpful
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Luis Mansilla
5.0 out of 5 stars A good book of early Britain
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2011
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There is not much to add but to say that this is a good introduction to early Britain history and despite the subject may be considered a little dry, the reading is totally fluid with a book containing images and maps. So for a small island like England, the country has a rich history spanning the Roman occupation, with Ceasar himself, to the Anglo-Saxon invasion -and there is plenty of archeological evidence explained by the author in order to understand this period of time.
3 people found this helpful
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Pedro Vila-Garcia
3.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2018
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It is very hard reading for fun. I will be great for scholars.
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bruce davis
5.0 out of 5 stars I wish they could make a map of Great Britain like that because of all the layers
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2014
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Layers. You remember those transparencies in biology class. The circulatory system overlays the skeletal system. I wish they could make a map of Great Britain like that because of all the layers. It is hard to keep it all straight and see how it relates to areas in modern England. I loved it.
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Daniel Putman
4.0 out of 5 stars Well-organized and well-written
Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2010
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Blair's book is extremely readable and well-organized. I would agree with earlier comments about the need for more maps and explanations of some of the locations; however, this is an inherent problem when dealing with large time spans and numerous events. I kept a marker by the map of Roman Britain on p. 59 and went there frequently in the first half of the book. The second half that covers the Anglo-Saxon settlements is somewhat better mapped out. The map of the 7th century kingdoms on p. 209 was especially helpful and is critical for the later history of English development. However, all the maps in the book could have more detail.

The opening chapter on the Roman and early medieval sources is well done but there is one major problem with source material and that is what has been found, especially in archaeology, after the book's publication in 1966. I had the sense at times that the material could be updated, most notably regarding the Romans. The book has a useful Index but no footnotes. The "Further Reading" does not go beyond the early 60's.

Nevertheless, Blair's use of Roman and Anglo-Saxon source material is effective. He is able to talk about the limitations of the sources in the book without that replacing the flow of his narrative. I learned a great deal not only about the Romans and early Christianity in England but also about the sources of names and the long-term legacy left by the Romans. Despite the problem of the book being over 40 years old, it is still an exceptionally well-organized and clear resource for the 900 years of Roman and Anglo-Saxon life in England up to Alfred.
16 people found this helpful
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D. Land
5.0 out of 5 stars Really liked it.
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2015
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Scholarship clearly explained, very interesting and satisfying read. Really liked it.
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