This is another addition to the Blackwell Companions to British History series published in association with the Historical Association and aiming to provide a highly developed and respected overview of British History. This particular volume brings together the research of 24 well‐respected scholars and presents an overview of the history of Roman Britain from the first century AD to the fifth century AD.
The volume contains 24 well researched essays. These cover topics as diverse as the indigenous populations of England, Wales and Scotland and their funerary practices, the numerous conquests of these constituent parts of the British Isles; the life of the soldier; life in the towns and cities of Roman Britain; religion; health and welfare; rural settlements; and finally, the decline of and subsequent rediscovery of the Romans in Britain. This volume is an invaluable source of current research into marginal areas not often covered by other books on Roman Britain and as such it brings to light new understanding whilst explaining how scholarly research has developed over the last few decades.
The text of the essays is usefully supported by images including maps, charts, photographs of artefacts and plans. These illustrate points made by the author whilst at the same time aiding reader visualisation. A full list of all the figures can be found on pages ix‐xii, directly following on from the contents pages. In turn this list of figures is followed by brief notes on the contributors themselves all of whom hold positions of importance within their respective organizations, and are undoubtedly experts in their field. Although the essays are individual pieces of writing, the volume as a whole flows smoothly. It is possible (and probably preferable) to read each of the essays as an independent piece of work; reference to any other contribution is not a prerequisite to understanding, adding to the ease of use of this volume. Nor is it necessary for any reader to feel they must read from cover‐to‐cover in order to gain a greater understanding of a particular subject area. Anyone undertaking research on Roman Britain should find it invaluable, especially as a full bibliography accompanies each essay, including further reading and references to material used by the contributor. A general bibliography is also included on pages 460‐498, followed by an index.
The essays are well written, concise, and take the reader straight to the heart of the matter; they are also very interesting. They provide a new insight into many of the aspects of Roman Britain, some of which may not have been covered in detail in other books. One of the reasons for this is that the contributors have been chosen because their differing subject expertise allows for more than one aspect of the history of Roman Britain to be covered. It would actually be impossible for any book to cover every aspect of Roman Britain and, whilst this volume is clearly a synthesis of current archaeological and anthropological research, there is no coverage of Roman art in Britain, burial and memorial of the dead or the Christian religion. Each of these topics is touched upon, but many have been discussed in detail in other works. Nevertheless, the material contained within this volume should still allow the reader to create a balanced picture of life in Roman Britain.
The Companion should appeal to the academic market and particularly to students and researchers. The essays all provide as full discussion as possible of their particular subject and the reader should find that the further reading and references provide more than enough materials to allow for a full coverage of each topic. This volume is an excellent addition to the existing volumes in the Blackwell Companions to British History series, soon to include books on Britain in the early middle ages, Tudor Britain, 19th century Britain and contemporary Britain.
