Defying Rome: The Rebels of Roman Britain (Revealing History (Hardcover))

Rating:
Summary: With a Rebel Yell!
Review: DEFYING ROME: THE REBELS OF ROMAN BRITAIN by Guy de la Bédoyère is a nice little book about, as it says in the title, rebels of Roman Britain. It is done chronologically and begins in the first century B.C. There is an introduction, 14 chapters on the rebels and a closing chapter. He also includes Principal Dates of Romano-British History, a further reading list, and an index. There are some gorgeous color plates in the middle of the book as well. It is a slight book, but De La Bédoyère has a pleasant style of writing. He incorporates other historical incidents as comparisons, as well as current events.
Some of the rebels were a little surprising. Here's the list in the order they appear in the book: Cassivellaunus, Caratacus, Boudica, Venutius, XIV Gemina Martia Victrix (a Roman legion), The Northern Tribes (the other side of Hadrian's Wall), Clodius Albinus, St. Alban, Postumus, Carausius and Allectus, Magnentius, Magnus Maximus, Constantine III (a straw man for others' ambitions), and Pelagius.
Boudica is a good example of someone who is widely known. Well, that's what we think. The truth of the matter is that much of what we know about Boudica is from the Roman authors' characterizations of her. She really is an elusive personality as are many of these individuals and groups of rebels. The author of this volume does a wonderful job of explaining the incidents surrounding each of these rebellions, through classical authors but also through archaeological records as well. Coins and numismatics play important roles in the events.
Pelagius' inclusion was the most interesting to me. His story highlights the lack of prestige that Britain and the Britons held in the Roman worldview including the Roman Christian world. His non-orthodox views were rejected by Augustine and others, yet took hold in Britain and many other areas. As with other heresies, his ideas do crop up again and again in history.
So if you're interested in a little rebellion, Romano-British history, or Roman history in general, this is a good book with which to start.

Rating:
Summary: With a Rebel Yell!
Review: DEFYING ROME: THE REBELS OF ROMAN BRITAIN by Guy de la Bédoyère is a nice little book about, as it says in the title, rebels of Roman Britain. It is done chronologically and begins in the first century B.C. There is an introduction, 14 chapters on the rebels and a closing chapter. He also includes Principal Dates of Romano-British History, a further reading list, and an index. There are some gorgeous color plates in the middle of the book as well. It is a slight book, but De La Bédoyère has a pleasant style of writing. He incorporates other historical incidents as comparisons, as well as current events.
Some of the rebels were a little surprising. Here's the list in the order they appear in the book: Cassivellaunus, Caratacus, Boudica, Venutius, XIV Gemina Martia Victrix (a Roman legion), The Northern Tribes (the other side of Hadrian's Wall), Clodius Albinus, St. Alban, Postumus, Carausius and Allectus, Magnentius, Magnus Maximus, Constantine III (a straw man for others' ambitions), and Pelagius.
Boudica is a good example of someone who is widely known. Well, that's what we think. The truth of the matter is that much of what we know about Boudica is from the Roman authors' characterizations of her. She really is an elusive personality as are many of these individuals and groups of rebels. The author of this volume does a wonderful job of explaining the incidents surrounding each of these rebellions, through classical authors but also through archaeological records as well. Coins and numismatics play important roles in the events.
Pelagius' inclusion was the most interesting to me. His story highlights the lack of prestige that Britain and the Britons held in the Roman worldview including the Roman Christian world. His non-orthodox views were rejected by Augustine and others, yet took hold in Britain and many other areas. As with other heresies, his ideas do crop up again and again in history.
So if you're interested in a little rebellion, Romano-British history, or Roman history in general, this is a good book with which to start.

Rating:
Summary: Always learning something new
Review: I enjoy very much reading a book that tells me something new about history. Although I thought that I was fairly conversant concerning early British history, this excellent work taught me many more things about the various rebellions and their leaders. It reveals the history of Roman Britain and the feeling of exclusion from the life of the Empire that was the general impression of the folks who lived in that far-off from Rome province. The author skillfully details the many rebellions that began in Britain, and uses coin hoards to attempt to date many previously obscure events. The personalities are often faintly drawn, but that is the fault of the sparse historical record, and not the author's. To anyone who is interested in Britain and its relationship to the Roman Empire, I highly recommend this book.