Conquest: A History of Roman Britain

by Ferdinand Addis

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

Genres: British Literature

443 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2026

Reviews

[Mergulum · Rating 5 out of 5]

To describe this book as a history of the Roman conquest of Britain would be a disservice as it is far more extensive. It covers the history of Britain and indeed wider Europe from 9700BC describing the various migrations that established the population that faced Julius Caesar on his landings on the island and continues through and beyond the departure of the Romans in the early fifth century AD. The author draws on archaeological and diverse primary and secondary sources and includes details on the most recent DNA evidence of the ancient populations of Britain. The writing is clearly expressed and so easy to read and understand. I thoroughly recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for this review copy.

[Kimberley Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the tone of this book. The use of rhetorical questions throughout gave the text a conversational tone. It wasn't simply a history lesson - it felt more engaging and made me think for myself. At times it felt more of a historical narrative, by putting me in the shoes of these individuals. The following passage stuck with me:
"How, wearing heavy legionary armour, do you cross the deck of a beached transport ship? The surf makes the ship roll awkwardly. You feel tired, perhaps sick. Your limbs are cramped and stiff... Can you see the bottom? The footing looks bad. You probably can't swim, and anyway, with your armour on, you'd sink for sure. If a wave knocked you down, would you be able to get up again?"

The book cleverly arranged, into three parts (Reaching Out, Taking Hold and Holding On), each with individual chapters, focusing on a particular aspect of the land.

Having read a number of history books, this is easy to follow and a joy to read.
[Thank you Bloomsbury Publishing ple for this ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.]

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC of this book.

To call this a book about the Roman conquest of Britain is like calling Moby Dick a book about a whale hunt. Its scope stretches much further back than the invasion, all the way from the first people to inhabit the area to the post-Roman and Medieval period. I was particularly interested in the sections that dealt with the neolithic and mesolithic cultures and migrations.

The subject is covered thematically rather than chronologically, which does mean a certain amount of repetition. But while it's a serious and very well researched work, this is no dry history textbook. The style is very readable and engaging, and I did enjoy the sly bits of dry humour that brought the important characters and events to life. I will almost certainly buy a copy when its published to read it again without the ARC formatting distractions and with the benefit of the footnotes. A solid 4.5 stars.

[Emma-Louise Wykes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC for review.

I find the Roman conquest of Britain a particularly interesting period in history. I am always looking to improve my knowledge, so this book was a great fit for me.

The book is written in plain, accessible language, and is peppered with the author's dry wit which I loved. It gives a thorough and orderly account, which is a great starting point for anyone interested in this subject.

I found that whilst overall I enjoyed this read, there was a little too much repetition in parts, and it would have benefited from being a little shorter.

[Andrea C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for an E - ARC.

Nicely written, very reader friendly. It does not read as history book at all.
I liked it and I have got to know a lot of new things from this period of time.
What I did not like was structure, the author started explain certain event or thing and then made a big circle, explained something else and at the end he returned back to what he has started explaining, I was feeling like I am at the school again.
It bothered me at the beginning and then I have got used to it.

4 stars from me and totally recommend for history fans