Archaeology of the Roman Conquest: Tracing the Legions, Reclaiming the Conquered (Elements in the Archaeology of Europe)

This Element volume provides an up-to-date synthesis of the archaeology of the Roman conquest, combining new theoretical and methodological approaches with the latest fieldwork results. Recent advances in conflict archaeology research are revolutionising our knowledge of Rome's military campaigns in Western and Central Europe, allowing scholars to reassess the impact of the conquest on the indigenous populations. The volume explores different types of material evidence for the Roman wars of conquest, including temporary camps, battlefields, coinage production, and regional settlement patterns. These and other topics are examined using four case studies: Caesar's Gallic Wars, the Cantabrian and Asturian Wars, the Germanic Wars of Augustus, and the Roman conquest of Britain. By focusing on the 'dark sides' of the Roman expansion and reclaiming the memory of the conquered, the Element aims to contribute to a more holistic understanding of the processes of incorporation and integration into the Roman Empire. Title page Copyright page Archaeology of the Roman Conquest Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Scope and Aims 1.2 Beyond Limes Archaeology 1.3 Footprinting the Legions: Challenges and Possibilities 1.4 Themes and Methodologies of an Archaeology of the Roman Conquest 1.5 Towards Interdisciplinary and Multidimensional Approaches 1.6 Roman Expansionism as the Product of a Predatory Regime 2 Caesar’s Invasion: The Conquest of Gallia Comata 2.1 Gaul on the Eve of Caesar’s Conquest 2.2 Strategies and Motivations of a Colonial War 2.3 The Materiality of the Roman Conquest in Central and Eastern Gaul 2.4 Genocide in the Far North? 2.5 The Demographic Impact of the Conquest 2.6 Rome’s Hunger for Gold: The Testimony of Coinage 2.7 The Decades after the Conquest 3 The Last Frontier in Iberia: The Cantabrian and Asturian Wars 3.1 The Roman Conquest of Iberia: A Long Process 3.2 The Cantabrian and Asturian Wars: Sources and Motivations 3.3 The Beginning of the War: From the 29 BC Campaign to the Arrival of Augustus 3.4 The Destruction of the Oppida of Monte Bernorio and La Loma 3.5 War in the West: The Campaigns against the Astures 3.6 Final Uprisings and Post-conquest Developments 4 The Germanic Wars of Augustus: A Failed Imperial Project 4.1 History of the Romano-Germanic Confrontations 4.2 Putting into Perspective Some Roman Stereotypes of the Germanic ‘Other’ 4.3 Exploring the Materiality of the Germanic Wars 4.4 A Landscape of Trauma and Terror? 4.5 Germania as a Breeding Ground for Auxiliaries 4.6 Imperial Power, Human Mobility, and the Reshuffling of Tribal (Id)entities 4.7 Why did Augustus’ Germania Project Fail? 5 Beyond the Sea: The Roman Conquest of Britain 5.1 First Military Encounters: Caesar’s Crossing of the Channel 5.2 Roman Influence between the Wars 5.3 An Emperor’s Ambition: The Claudian Invasion 5.4 Tracing the Legions in Southern Britain 5.5 The Warrior Queen: Boudica’s Revolt 5.6 Into the North: Agricola’s Campaigns 6 Conclusion 6.1 On Sources and Methods 6.2 Roman Violence beyond the Battlefield 6.3 Failed Conquests: The Importance of the Pre-Roman Background 6.4 Reclaiming the Conquered, Rebalancing the View References Acknowledgements About the Authors