The Romans Who Shaped Britain

Explores the narrative of Britannia through the lives of its emperors, commanders, governors, officials and rebels. This title features a cast of characters such as Caesar, Agricola and Boudica, who may be familiar; and others, such as Carausius, Magnentius or Valentinus.

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Roman Britain was created not by impersonal historical forces, but by men and women, each driven by ambition, aspiration and passion. A fresh, fast-moving account, this book explores the narrative of Britannia through the lives of its emperors, commanders, governors, officials and rebels. This rich cast of characters includes some, such as Caesar, Agricola and Boudica, who may be familiar; and others, such as Carausius, Magnentius or Valentinus, who deserve to be more so. Their lives and actions are set against the backdrop of an evolving landscape, in which Iron Age shrines were being replaced by marble temples, industrial-scale factories and granaries were springing up across the countryside along with a triumphal arch, towering into the Kent sky to mark Rome’s domination. The Romans voice their own opinions and give their own accounts in numerous quotations from ancient sources. Inset feature boxes give fascinating extra detail and background, based on the latest archaeological evidence. The Romans Who Shaped Britain, by setting out the story as a single narrative, above all reminds us of the truly epic nature of the history of Britannia.