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Books : The Decline and Fall of Roman Britain
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Rating: 
- Polemic rather than Elegy
It must be very strange to spend so much time studying a topic of which you so thoroughly disapprove! If you can get past the initial chapter, which presents a bizarrely distorted view of the Roman Empire, this book offers a concise and well-written overview of the Roman Empire in Britain, with a good analysis of the constant sapping of the frontiers' strength by the withdrawal of troops by rebel generals attempting to extend their seccessionist rule over Britain into the Continent.
Unfortunately the final chapter wanders off into a nonsensical imagining about a golden idyll of early Communism in Britain, which is not only completely unsupported by any evidence, but is contradicted by the very slender source material which does exist; Mr Faulkner doesn't seem to know anything about the tribal/warlord society of the early Dark Ages - or if he does, he supresses it in favour of a Hobshawm fantasy of class-led revolutionary politics.
The problem is, of course, that Britain was on the very edge of the Empire, and after the failure of the Constantinian revival, the historians of Late Antiquity did not know (and maybe didn't care) very much about this remote province. However, this is no excuse for just making it up!
I would be very cautious in reccomending this book to anyone who does not already have a reasonable grasp of the historical events and movements in this period (read Ward-Perkins and Heather); it is fine as a quirky supplement, but dangerous as a presentation of fact.
Rating:
- marxist influenced understanding of roman britain
This was a great read because Mr Faulkner combines exceptional knowledge of archeological findings on the period, with a stimulating socio-economic 'reading between the lines' of the few known facts. The five stars are for being original and intelligent. But maybe not always right. Making suppositions based on what people 'are usually like' is a good idea when so little is known. But to say that romano-british towns only existed because the empire willed it (they had no economic reason for existence) seems a little strong. To say that Gildas was a representative writer of a sort of proletarian religeous uprising seems unwarranted, we just don't know. Underplay of semi-myths like king Arthur, Vortigern or other clues that could indicate a continuation of Romanitas into the fifth century. But a great read ! Thank you Neil Faulkner
Rating: - Well worth reading
This is a concise and very well-argued book about Roman Britain. Not content with the fall, Neil Faulkner covers the rise and development of the region, too, in a very readable style.
Part of the fascination of the decline of Rome are the lessons we hope it can teach us about the present time. Faulkner's conclusion seems to be that an empire is an exploitative, violent juggernaut designed to enrich the few at the cost of the rest of us. When it ceases to be self-sustaining (and forces of resistance increase in power) it will collapse in on itself. Current political leaders, please note.
Rating: - One of the best one-volume Roman Britain books
Neil Faulkner says at the outset he isn't going to write a conventional historical account Roman Britain. But what he does write is much more exciting than that. We are treated to an illustrated essay of the rise and fall of Roman Britain - and the Roman Empire itself. Faulkner quite rightly examines Britannia within the context of the larger Roman Empire.
He explains convincingly what it was that made the Romans covet Britain in the first place. How their use and exploitation of it changed over the years. And finally how it slipped from their grasp in a welter of confusion and total economic collapse.
I know some reviewers have lamented what they see as the book's negative tone. I am sorry but I don't agree. The book is not negative -- it's just clear sighted in what empires are for.
Faulkner points out what should be obvious to us all. Empires are not by and large motivated by ideas about spreading civilisation or democracy: They are about power and the exploitation of resources from the periphery - for the good of the centre. Period. And this judgement applies ro any empire in history that you care to name; the Assyrians, the Persians, the Athenian, the Romans, the British Empire, and modern days ones.
My only issue would be with the title - Decline and Fall of Roman Britain. It is a lovely title - but it undersells the book -- which is so much more.
Finally, at the end Dr Faulkner proposes a peasent revolt. May be it didn't qite happen like this. But something like it surely did happen. Why? Because when we look at the neighbouring province of Gaul, we see a far different story. Something of an economy and a society based on towns weathers the shock of the early 5th century here.
Nothing like this happens in Britain (Although in the west there is some continuation of a stable society -- it is not one any 4th century Roman official would recognize).
All in all, a great read.
Rating: - Interesting but one-sided and unconvincing
This books presents an almost wholly one-sided and pejorative view of both the Roman Empire and Roman Britain. There is much in it that is interesting, particularly the author's theory for why the Empire stagnated and ultimately collapsed. However, it is all presented in such a consistently negative way that it's hard to take it seriously.
His drawing parallels between Roman Imperialism and modern western military interventions is laughable and his central thesis of a peasant revolution at the end of Roman Britain is pure fantasy for which he provides no convincing evidence.
- Polemic rather than ElegyIt must be very strange to spend so much time studying a topic of which you so thoroughly disapprove! If you can get past the initial chapter, which presents a bizarrely distorted view of the Roman Empire, this book offers a concise and well-written overview of the Roman Empire in Britain, with a good analysis of the constant sapping of the frontiers' strength by the withdrawal of troops by rebel generals attempting to extend their seccessionist rule over Britain into the Continent.
Unfortunately the final chapter wanders off into a nonsensical imagining about a golden idyll of early Communism in Britain, which is not only completely unsupported by any evidence, but is contradicted by the very slender source material which does exist; Mr Faulkner doesn't seem to know anything about the tribal/warlord society of the early Dark Ages - or if he does, he supresses it in favour of a Hobshawm fantasy of class-led revolutionary politics.
The problem is, of course, that Britain was on the very edge of the Empire, and after the failure of the Constantinian revival, the historians of Late Antiquity did not know (and maybe didn't care) very much about this remote province. However, this is no excuse for just making it up!
I would be very cautious in reccomending this book to anyone who does not already have a reasonable grasp of the historical events and movements in this period (read Ward-Perkins and Heather); it is fine as a quirky supplement, but dangerous as a presentation of fact.
Rating:
- marxist influenced understanding of roman britainThis was a great read because Mr Faulkner combines exceptional knowledge of archeological findings on the period, with a stimulating socio-economic 'reading between the lines' of the few known facts. The five stars are for being original and intelligent. But maybe not always right. Making suppositions based on what people 'are usually like' is a good idea when so little is known. But to say that romano-british towns only existed because the empire willed it (they had no economic reason for existence) seems a little strong. To say that Gildas was a representative writer of a sort of proletarian religeous uprising seems unwarranted, we just don't know. Underplay of semi-myths like king Arthur, Vortigern or other clues that could indicate a continuation of Romanitas into the fifth century. But a great read ! Thank you Neil Faulkner
Rating:
- Well worth readingThis is a concise and very well-argued book about Roman Britain. Not content with the fall, Neil Faulkner covers the rise and development of the region, too, in a very readable style.
Part of the fascination of the decline of Rome are the lessons we hope it can teach us about the present time. Faulkner's conclusion seems to be that an empire is an exploitative, violent juggernaut designed to enrich the few at the cost of the rest of us. When it ceases to be self-sustaining (and forces of resistance increase in power) it will collapse in on itself. Current political leaders, please note.
Rating:
- One of the best one-volume Roman Britain booksNeil Faulkner says at the outset he isn't going to write a conventional historical account Roman Britain. But what he does write is much more exciting than that. We are treated to an illustrated essay of the rise and fall of Roman Britain - and the Roman Empire itself. Faulkner quite rightly examines Britannia within the context of the larger Roman Empire.
He explains convincingly what it was that made the Romans covet Britain in the first place. How their use and exploitation of it changed over the years. And finally how it slipped from their grasp in a welter of confusion and total economic collapse.
I know some reviewers have lamented what they see as the book's negative tone. I am sorry but I don't agree. The book is not negative -- it's just clear sighted in what empires are for.
Faulkner points out what should be obvious to us all. Empires are not by and large motivated by ideas about spreading civilisation or democracy: They are about power and the exploitation of resources from the periphery - for the good of the centre. Period. And this judgement applies ro any empire in history that you care to name; the Assyrians, the Persians, the Athenian, the Romans, the British Empire, and modern days ones.
My only issue would be with the title - Decline and Fall of Roman Britain. It is a lovely title - but it undersells the book -- which is so much more.
Finally, at the end Dr Faulkner proposes a peasent revolt. May be it didn't qite happen like this. But something like it surely did happen. Why? Because when we look at the neighbouring province of Gaul, we see a far different story. Something of an economy and a society based on towns weathers the shock of the early 5th century here.
Nothing like this happens in Britain (Although in the west there is some continuation of a stable society -- it is not one any 4th century Roman official would recognize).
All in all, a great read.
Rating:
- Interesting but one-sided and unconvincingThis books presents an almost wholly one-sided and pejorative view of both the Roman Empire and Roman Britain. There is much in it that is interesting, particularly the author's theory for why the Empire stagnated and ultimately collapsed. However, it is all presented in such a consistently negative way that it's hard to take it seriously.
His drawing parallels between Roman Imperialism and modern western military interventions is laughable and his central thesis of a peasant revolution at the end of Roman Britain is pure fantasy for which he provides no convincing evidence.