An Imperial Possession: Britain in the Roman Empire, 54 BC - AD 409 (The Penguin History of Britain)

The definitive history of Roman Britain In the first major narative history of the subject in more than a generation, David Mattingly brings life in Britain during four hundred years of Roman domination into vivid relief. Drawing on a wealth of new research and cutting through the myths and misunderstandings that commonly surround most perceptions of Roman Britain, An Imperial Possession describes a remote and culturally diverse province that required a heavy military presence both to keep its subjects in order and to exploit its resources for the empire. With his wonderful addition to the Penguin History of Britain series, 'Mattingly shows ... just how interesting life could be on the outer fringes of the Roman Empire' (The Sunday Telegraph). Part of the Penguin History of Britain series, An Imperial Possession is the first major narrative history of Roman Britain for a generation. David Mattingly draws on a wealth of new findings and knowledge to cut through the myths and misunderstandings that so commonly surround our beliefs about this period. From the rebellious chiefs and druids who led native British resistance, to the experiences of the Roman military leaders in this remote, dangerous outpost of Europe, this book explores the reality of life in occupied Britain within the context of the shifting fortunes of the Roman Empire. The centuries during which Britain was under Roman occupation have always had a contradictory reputation. David Mattingly's book draws on a wealth of new research to recreate this colonial Britain: a rebellious, disadvantaged place needing heavy garrisoning and highly vulnerable to political change in Rome