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Product Description
Product Description
Bloodline: Celtic Kings in Roman Britain is Miles Russell's latest publication. This detailed and comprehensive book offers fresh research and analysis of the British provincial kings during the Roman occupation. The author's extensive knowledge and expertise in this field provides a high level of academic authority. Building on the discoveries made in Roman Sussex, this book develops the theme that southern Britain was not so much conquered by Rome, as liberated. Looking at new archaeological evidence, new readings of the primary historical sources and a new examination of the writings of 'British' sources (such as Geoffrey of Monmouth), Bloodline: Celtic Kings in Roman Britain provides a wholly alternative theory as to the creation of Roman Britain, its treaties, invasion and assimilation into empire, and the role of friendly client kings from the time of Julius Caesar (55-54 BC) to the reign of the emperor Hadrian
About the Author
Miles Russell is a senior lecturer in archaeology at Bournemouth University with over 20 years experience of archaeological fieldwork and publication. He has worked as a project officer for both the Field Archaeology and Oxford Archaeological Units and is currently involved in fieldwork across southern Britain, the Isle of Man and Russia. Miles is a regular contributor to television and radio. His most recent appearances being in Time Team and The Seven Ages of Britain for Channel 4 and Mysteries in the Landscape for BBC2.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a quite impressive book that challenges a number of key assumptions about the "Roman Conquest" of Britain. Russell argues that many of the "Established Facts", as he calls them, are in need of a serious reassessment. He contends that the role of native British dynasts like Togodubnus has been greatly underestimated. In particular, he gives good arguments for British support of Claudius' invasion, both before and after the initial landings. He also shows that native British leaders may have played a far more significant part in overcoming Boudicca's Rebellion. Finally, he demonstrates that one of the early governors of Britain may well have been of royal British blood.
Profusely illustrated, the book's main strength is that all of this is presented in a clear, readable style. Russell gives a fair summation of past theories, then provides plausible evidence and arguments for what he sees as a better alternative. It is thus not just a book for academics but for anyone interested in this crucial period of British history.
The only quibble I would have is that the book may accept uncritically recent fashionable theories about "intertribal conflicts" during the Roman period. When Trinovantes are taking revenge on the Romans by burning Colchester, it seems strange not to simply attribute the burning of St Albans (and probably also Silchester and Winchester) to Catuvellaunians and Atrebates with similar grievances against both the Romans and their elite British quislings. At the very least, it would have been better to give good reasons why some tribes would not have had good reasons to resent the new Roman masters. That aside, this is a handsome volume, and belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in the Roman Empire in general, or Roman Britain in particular.
Profusely illustrated, the book's main strength is that all of this is presented in a clear, readable style. Russell gives a fair summation of past theories, then provides plausible evidence and arguments for what he sees as a better alternative. It is thus not just a book for academics but for anyone interested in this crucial period of British history.
The only quibble I would have is that the book may accept uncritically recent fashionable theories about "intertribal conflicts" during the Roman period. When Trinovantes are taking revenge on the Romans by burning Colchester, it seems strange not to simply attribute the burning of St Albans (and probably also Silchester and Winchester) to Catuvellaunians and Atrebates with similar grievances against both the Romans and their elite British quislings. At the very least, it would have been better to give good reasons why some tribes would not have had good reasons to resent the new Roman masters. That aside, this is a handsome volume, and belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in the Roman Empire in general, or Roman Britain in particular.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
It becomes clear very early on in Russell's book that far too much of what gets trotted out about early Roman Britain is simply pure supposition which, by continued repetition by uncritical authors, has been magically transformed into what he scornfully calls Established Fact. Russell skilfully demolishes the unjustified claims which continue to be made, and presents alternative interpretations which are in the main certainly plausible, though the latter section of the book perhaps becomes slightly more outlandish.
From such evidence as a reinterpretation of Dio Cassius which presents Togidubnus/Togodumnus as an ally fighting alongside Rome who survived the wars as opposed to the usual reading of an enemy of Rome who was killed resisting the invaders, and a record of a now lost inscription which has been virtually ignored by modern writers, Russell conjectures that a considerable swathe of southern Britain was effectively a client kingdom into the second century, and only then fully absorbed.
Even though this conclusion to the book might seem a bit crazy at first sight, those interested in the early stages of Roman Britain should at least read the first three-quarters or so of this book as a reality check against what we are usually told. Russell writes entertainingly and engagingly, and like him or not (and given some of the responses to his ideas which he relates in this book, there are plenty of people in the latter camp) you can't ignore him.
I look forward to Russell's forthcoming collaborative publication UnRoman Britain co-authored with Stuart Laycock (Britannia - The Failed State: Tribal Conflict and the End of Roman Britain, and Warlords: The Struggle for Power in Post-Roman Britain). Given that the impression I get from Russell is that he does not entirely buy into the idea of the pre-Roman kingdoms of Britain being in continual struggle, hypothesised by Laycock as continuing throughout and even after Roman Britain, it will be interesting to see what angle their joint work will bring to the period.
From such evidence as a reinterpretation of Dio Cassius which presents Togidubnus/Togodumnus as an ally fighting alongside Rome who survived the wars as opposed to the usual reading of an enemy of Rome who was killed resisting the invaders, and a record of a now lost inscription which has been virtually ignored by modern writers, Russell conjectures that a considerable swathe of southern Britain was effectively a client kingdom into the second century, and only then fully absorbed.
Even though this conclusion to the book might seem a bit crazy at first sight, those interested in the early stages of Roman Britain should at least read the first three-quarters or so of this book as a reality check against what we are usually told. Russell writes entertainingly and engagingly, and like him or not (and given some of the responses to his ideas which he relates in this book, there are plenty of people in the latter camp) you can't ignore him.
I look forward to Russell's forthcoming collaborative publication UnRoman Britain co-authored with Stuart Laycock (Britannia - The Failed State: Tribal Conflict and the End of Roman Britain, and Warlords: The Struggle for Power in Post-Roman Britain). Given that the impression I get from Russell is that he does not entirely buy into the idea of the pre-Roman kingdoms of Britain being in continual struggle, hypothesised by Laycock as continuing throughout and even after Roman Britain, it will be interesting to see what angle their joint work will bring to the period.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I don't think I can add too much to the very good reviews below other than to record my own pleasure from reading this book. Hitherto I'd always been more interested in the late Roman Empire, the collapse in Britain and associated Arthurian Lore. However, I must say that the author has produced a work, which has stirred by imagination in a new direction.
As has already been said the author takes a fresh approach to tackling many of those 'myths' associated with early Roman Britain. In place of these he presents his own equally plausible theory, which is built around the dynastic squabbles of the existing 'British' elites. Instead of outright conquest we see collaboration and resistance. The evidence is chiefly taken from written sources and coin legends.
The book is really well written with a lively narrative and not the dry descriptions often associated with many archaeological/historical books. It is beautifully illustrated throughout with great photos and plenty of useful maps. In my mind, history books tend to fall into one of two categories: they either fall into the dry, unimaginative, retelling of convention or they push new boundaries and present new theories. I'm happy to say that Mr Russell's work falls into the latter category. In my opinion this is where the modern historian lives up to the job description.
As has already been said the author takes a fresh approach to tackling many of those 'myths' associated with early Roman Britain. In place of these he presents his own equally plausible theory, which is built around the dynastic squabbles of the existing 'British' elites. Instead of outright conquest we see collaboration and resistance. The evidence is chiefly taken from written sources and coin legends.
The book is really well written with a lively narrative and not the dry descriptions often associated with many archaeological/historical books. It is beautifully illustrated throughout with great photos and plenty of useful maps. In my mind, history books tend to fall into one of two categories: they either fall into the dry, unimaginative, retelling of convention or they push new boundaries and present new theories. I'm happy to say that Mr Russell's work falls into the latter category. In my opinion this is where the modern historian lives up to the job description.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
An interesting mixed bag
This book seems to have two aims. The first is to put aside the barnacles of tradition and romance that have accumulated in the popular history of the Roman occupation of Britain,... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Merget
Wonderfully refreshing
I was pleasantly surprised that someone from a serious academic background was prepared to examine the many different possibilities of events in Roman Britain, rather than... Read more
Published 5 months ago by KnobbySmuggler
Bloodline: The Celtic Kings of Roman Britain!
This is quite an incredible and thoroughly absorbing book by Miles Russell who actually argues that some of the accepted history we 'know' about this period of time may not be... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Je Salter
Dire
Miles Russell pitches himself as the enfant terrible challenging Established Facts among British Romanists. He rightly stresses how few facts we actually have about Roman Britain. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Lucian Flux
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