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Britannia

The Creation of a Roman Province

By John Creighton

Published September 13th 2008 by Routledge – 192 pages

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Description

This book completely re-evaluates the evidence for, and the interpretation of, the rule of the kings of Late Iron Age Britain: Cunobelin and Verica.

Within a few generations of their reigns, after one died and the other had fled, Rome’s ceremonial centres had been transformed into the magnificence of Roman towns with monumental public buildings and Britannia examines these kings’ long-lasting legacy in the creation of Britannia.

Among the topics considered are:

  • the links between Iron Age king of Britain and Rome before the Claudian conquest
  • the creation of the towns of Roman Britain
  • the different natures of 'Roman identity'
  • the long lasting influence of the kings on the development of the province
  • the widely different ways that archaeologists have read the evidence.

Examining the kings' legacy in the creation of the Roman province of Britannia, the book examines the interface of two worlds and how much each owed to the other.

Reviews

'This volume confirms John Creighton's prominence in a group of scholars who are changing our perceptions of the era so much that the idea that Roman Britain starts with the Claudian invasion of AD 43 is collapsing. By any standards, this really is writing new history.' - The Times Literary Supplement

'A vibrant synthesis of theory and data … This is a book to be much admired for presenting a wide range of fresh and ambitious interpretations and developing a sophisticated structurationist account of early Roman Britain in a clear and fluent fashion.' – Cambridge Archaeological Journal

'The issues [Britannia] addresses are crucial to our understanding of a turbulent period in the early history of Britain.' - Britannia

Contents

1. Friendly Kings and Governors 2. The Trappings of Power 3. Force, Violence and the Conquest 4. The Idea of the Town 5. The Creation of the Familiar 6. The Creation of Order 7. The Memory of Kings Conclusion

Name: Britannia: The Creation of a Roman Province (Paperback) – Routledge 
Description: By John Creighton. This book completely re-evaluates the evidence for, and the interpretation of, the rule of the kings of Late Iron Age Britain: Cunobelin and Verica. Within a few generations of their reigns, after one died and the other had fled, Rome’s...
Categories: Archaeology, Classical Greek & Roman Archaeology, Roman History & Culture