Description

An epic, visceral history of the Romans in Britain, from Caesar’s first invasion attempt in 55 BC to the fall of the Roman empire.

Britain wasn’t conquered in a day. Caesar invaded twice, but didn’t try to complete a conquest of the island. It was only when Claudius and his legions arrived in AD 43 that true colonization was possible. Forty years later, almost the whole of southern Britain was under Roman control, where it stayed until the final decline of the empire, the weakness of the colony’s defences and the quarrels of Roman generals brought the experiment to an end.

Piecing together evidence from the often-propagandistic Roman literary sources – including the writings of Caesar, Tacitus and Livy – and making brilliant use of archaeological and anthropological research, Addis paints a vivid portrait of Roman and British life both in prehistoric times and in the first century AD. He brings the violence and intrigues of British tribal life into vivid relief, but also evokes the ways in which these diverse peoples lived, their monumental burial sites, their customs, their trade with continental Europe, their military organization and the kinds of war they practiced.

Ultimately, Conquest gives us fresh insight into the deep history of the island that the Romans set out to conquer.

Publisher Review

This is a wonderful book, packed full of marvels but grounded in earth, fire and blood. Addis writes beautifully, evoking the mysteriousness of this half-millennium of British history while using the shards of evidence available to construct a picture of life under Roman rule. It’s a magnificent achievement. * Lucy Lethbridge * Ferdinand Addis is a very gifted writer. His previous book, Rome: Eternal City, was a masterpiece of invention. This one is at least as good. His exuberant panache befits a big topic like Rome … A rich feast full of fascinating details brought together with superb storytelling. — Gerard deGroot * The Times *