Ruling Roman Britain : Kings, Queens, Governors and Emperors From Julius Caesar to Agricola

In this book, David Braund offers a significantly different perspective upon the history of Roman Britain. He concentrates upon the literary evidence, which has been studied to a lesser extent than archaeology in recent years. Close attention to the Greek and Roman sources enables the construction of a new approach to Roman Britain, its history and its archaeology. For the first time, monarchy is identified as a key issue in the history of Roman Britain. In this book, David Braund offers a significantly different perspective upon the history of Roman Britain. Rather than relying on archaeology, the author concentrates on the literary evidence, drawing a colorful picture of the social and political context of Roman imperialism. The study discusses Roman theories of imperialism as well as the intellectual and political atmosphere within which Caesar mounted his invasions of Britain in 55 and 54 B.C. Braund shows how the ideologies and power structures at work in Rome fundamentally shaped politics and society in Roman Britain. Thus he develops an understanding of the literary sources which goes beyond mere translation and allows the reader insights into this remote corner of the Roman world. Ruling Roman Britain locates the island in the broader context of Roman imperial thought and action from the late republic and Julius Caesar to the end of the first century AD.