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Finis Britanniae

A Military History of Late Roman Britain and the Saxon Conquest

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About this listen

The end of Roman Britain and the arrival of the invading Saxons forms part of the most disruptive period in Britain's history. Centuries of relative stability as a Roman province gave way to an age of conquest and destruction. It is a period which is difficult to comprehend, coming at the end of the Roman era and in the pre-dawn of the Medieval. It is a Dark Age, both in terms of our apparent lack of source material and in our understanding of events. As a result, several legendary figures appear–it is the age of Arthur, Merlin and others; figures steeped in mystery, mysticism and magic, allowed to thrive in the paucity of the source material.

In this new analysis, Murray Dahm explores the military history of Roman Britain's slow decline, going back to the roots of the province's final rupture from Rome in the fifth century and the subsequent invasions. Using a wide array of sources, the author illuminates this dark world and examines what we know (or what we think we know) of the Angle, Jute, Saxon and other invasions that took advantage of Rome's absence and which, in their own way, shaped the Britain of today.

©2024 Murray Dahm (P)2024 W.F.Howes Ltd Europe Great Britain Rome Military Arthurian Middle Ages
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Practically a history research paper, rich of references and quotes. Not really suitable for an audiobook though

Interesting but not really suitable as an audiobook

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A brilliant book, yes in-depth, but any one with an adults curiosity will understand that any bit of information comes from 3 sources +, which all have different and contradictory nuggets.

It’s up to us to figure these out - not pseudo histories leading impressionable readers down the wrong path. This book is a key to understanding the era and the sources.

When you get tired of the same old books glossing over crucial events by other authors to suit their narratives - this really is the next step up to unlock the rest of that world.

There is so much I’ve learnt from this book and I’ve had an obsession for the past year on this era.

P.s Folkestone is the site of the battle “by the inscriped pillars on the Gallic sea” btw.

And bardon hill in Leicestershire is the most underrated candidate for baddon. You have to see it to believe 😁

A must have for the era - and placing Arthur

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