Book Review by Favonius Cornelius
The late Roman Empire if anything, can be characterized by a pattern of gradual destabilization by the erosion of the old established ideals, be they governmental form, religion or cultural infrastructure. It can also be characterized by rebellion, that infernal rash which would spring up and confound the Caesars in nearly every corner of the Empire at one time or another.
One particular area which tended to attract rebellion was the far flung province of Britannia, and Guy de la Bedoyere sets out to uncover the roots and reasons for this phenomenon in his book Defying Rome, the Rebels of Roman Briton.
As befitting a scholar of history, Bedoyere does so in a logically systematic way, going into detail on each rebellion’s origins via the words of the ancient historians, also with what we can prove from archaeology, filling in the blank spaces of our knowledge with a realpolitik sensibility, all brought to you in a very readable and witty writing style. The book lacks in painstaking detail on any one subject, but does quite well in summarizing and explaining in a long range historical perspective the causes behind and results of rebellions in Britannia. Bedoyere tells us the story of Britannia, a hard provincial land accustomed to defeat and the heavy hand of law, a land where no rebellion goes unpunished nor gains any substantial success.
The book opens with the true beginnings of Briton’s written history: the invasions of Julius Caesar and the entry of Britannia into the Roman consciousness as something more than just a mythical isle. These first few chapters on Cassivellaunus, Caratacus, Budica, and Venutius focus on the early native rebellions to the invading Roman war machine and it’s early administration of the land. Their stories highlight the characteristics which seeded the foundations of future rebellions: unjust treatment, isolation, heavy military occupation.
During these years of the Julio-Claudian Roman Dynasty, Rome’s only enemies in much of its new empire were the subject peoples it had recently conquered. Britannia was a perfect example of this, such a story of heroic defiance of tyranny and insurmountable odds, but as with most native confrontations of Roman strength, these rebellions burnt themselves out as quickly as they had began.
The year of the four emperors opened an altogether new epic in the history of the Romans when it was proven to the world that an emperor need not be made in Rome. This was one of the most potent threats to the life of the empire, the ambitions of generals across such far flung lands. This realization had a slow start though, for after the victory of Vespasian the empire experienced it’s golden age. During this time the only unrest in Britannia came from the far north in Caledonia, the land which experienced Roman domination only for a scant few years before the classic difficulties of worth and terrain caused Hadrian to build his wall in northern Britannia and set the pieces for this hideout for rebels. Half the book is dedicated to these times, these seeds planted which form the constant rebellion known in later years beginning with the era of the soldier emperors.
Bedoyere’s accounting of the later rebels such as Clodius Albinus, Postumus, Carausius, Alectus, Magnentius, Magnus Maximus, and Constantine III makes for the most interesting portion of the book, for the simple fact that little is known of these times and so the mystery of speculation is quite open. He does not venture too far into guess work however, and uses the available archaeological and historical evidence as a firm backbone for his accounting of these men.
With each case study, you get a greater feeling for what it must have been like to live in that microcosm which was Britannia: the isolation from the Roman world, the lack of recognition, the fatigue of a large and bored military force constantly confronting the northern Caledonians or insurrection from within. Each would-be emperor molded according to his vision and times these fundamental reoccurring British themes to stake his claim for the purple.
Book Review by Pertinax
I have previously commented that this work is a beautiful 'coffee table' presentation. This might seem to imply that it is rather facile and sleek, without weight of content. This is certainly not the case, what we have here is a glossily presented but well researched work . The author is no lightweight dilettante as anyone familiar with his work on Hadrian's Wall will be aware. What has happened here is a coming together of considered scholarship, excellent slick prose and beautiful presentation. If you wish to be introduced painlessly to Roman Britain in its Imperial context then this is as good a starting point as can be imagined. De la Bedoyere is a considered logician in his approach to the interpretation of sources be they physical or written.
The initial chapters illustrate how Britain came to be the 'prestige' invasion project of G J Caesar and the proving ground for ambitious soldiery. How did Britain come to be drawn into Rome's orbit? Because the Tribal elites were drawn to her trade goods like moths to a flame, and whilst even if staunchly anti-roman started to acculturate the roman notions of statehood, dignitas, moral authority of the classically educated and literate. The notion of 'Britain' as an idea of statehood was never of any remote interest to the competing Tribal leaders when Caesar touched down in 55 BC, when Rome departed the idea of national identity was at the core of Romano-British thinking. The fluidity of Tribal identity in these early times is remarkable, possibly lasting in some cases for the life of a particular King. All through the early stages of the 1st Century AD and the steady conquest of the land Rome had two powerful strategic tools at her call, firstly the mobility and technological superiority of her fighting arms and secondly the total inability of the British Tribes to cease internecine squabbling.
As I have written elsewhere the Brigantes were delighted to become clients of a massively powerful Imperium, all the ambitions they had for tribal dominance and cultural advancement were measured against a Roman model. Once Rome had a physical presence in Britain the acculturation of the locals proceeded apace by willing trade contact, even prior to the invasion Roman merchants were present in Britain. The author shows the progress of trade across the tribal map and warns us not to assume that the southern tribes were wealthier or more sophisticated or cultured because their wealth was visible in goods and coins, as he points out the North was wealthy in grain and cattle -two things that leave little impression on the archaeological record.
The Army as the dynamic of acculturation and economic change by its presence is an interesting theme developed here, along with the impact of the built frontiers in relation to the agricultural hinterlands.
Britain became the potential proving ground for ambitious men (with loyal troops) given to casting covetous eyes toward the Imperial purple. A developed theme is the need for frontier troops to be kept tough and combat ready but not too numerous as to pose a threat to central authority, this isn't just in the Brittanic context but rather Britain in relation to Gallic and Belgic territories. Caraussis is the most obvious example drawn on but he is certainly not unique, I would also mention that he appears as a 'restorer of Augustan dignity' in the context of the whole of the Tetrarchy, not as a fledgling British patriot (not as Nelson/ John Duke of Marlborough rather an Augustinian saviour of all citizens).
Britain is also the irritating theatre for grumbling guerilla wars interspersed with long periods of tedious policing of tribal raiding, Rome's biggest difficulty being the economic pointlesness of holding modern day Scotland versus a need to keep grumbling dissent in check. The Ordovices and Silures disposed of in Flavian times illustrate the difficulty, namely those tribes with no predominantly material based culture were alienated from Rome as a cultural force and had no qualms about fighting her-though in this instance they were eliminated. The Maetae of the far North proved particularly irritating to Septimus Severus who it is claimed was worn out by trying to bring them to any sort of genocidal efficient set piece confrontation.
The diagrams, photos and minor illustrations are of the best in this work all of the text I have mentioned is punctuated by them in an informative manner.
We have useful contextual notes to accompany the known history, so road making, the role of the baths, industrial production and food provision are examined both as mundane realities and as dynamic instruments of acculturation. The theme throughout these various physical manifestations of Empire is the constantly surprising sophistication of every thing touched by Rome's hand. This will not be a great surprise to UNRV members but I suggest the lost glory of Roman Britain deserves deeper and steadier scholarship to show its huge historical weight in determining the character of the modern country.
Salway: "Roman Britain" is still the heavyweight champion for the scholar seeking meticulously researched historical detail of event driven history. This book is both glossily accessible as a 'dip in' bedtime read or as a steady sit down, quality, introductory work with thoughtful re interpretation of the conventional wisdom. If you need to have a decent medium weight reference because Britain is not your main interest or you wish to make a good start in looking at Roman issues in Britain get this book, if you want to look at definitive illustrations I have rarely seen better. The Author's style is easy on the eye and brain.
