2019-08-28
I came to this book with high expectations, only to find myself disappointed.
Firstly, it’s a short book with only ten chapters. Secondly, the book is an uneven mix of tabloid tirades and archaeological insight – frankly, much of this book is nothing more than a rant, and much of the archaeology that is actually discussed adds little depth to the argument despite the slogan of “UnRoman Britain” that the authors repeatedly assert.
Even worse is that because this is a short book so much is missed – there’s no real discussion of changes that would have affected many ordinary people in Britain, such as new tools, new crops, and new diseases. Additionally, the subjects for actual discussion are brief and far between with some surprising omissions, such as nothing at all mentioned about the missing ninth legion, or much discussion of the limited of town development through the second century which would surely be a key argument.
All of which result in a frustrating book that spends too much time with angry posturing, and too little time creating a narrative that matters. There could have been a wonderful and in-depth argument made about how Roman culture may or may not have touched people in Britain in different ways, but instead this book is an opportunity lost.
There are some useful points of reference in it, but overall this book veers repeatedly between trying to be populist and trying to be academic, and it never really finds a decent balance between both. The result is a study that lacks depth and fails to properly justify it’s own argument.
Rating: 2/5