A Portrait of Roman Britain

by John Wacher

The Romans occupied Britain for almost four hundred years, and their influence is still all around us - in the shape of individual monuments such as Hadrians Wall, the palace at Fishbourne and the spa complex at Bath, as well as in subtler things such as the layout and locations of ancient towns such as London, Canterbury and Colchester, and the routes of many major roads. Yet this evidence can only suggest a small proportion of the effect that the Romans had on the landscape of Britain.
A Portrait of Roman Britain breaks new ground in enabling us to visualise the changes in town and countryside brought by Roman military and civilian needs. Using clear, well-documented descriptions, John Wacher answers questions such
* were Roman towns as neat and tidy as they are often represented?
* how much woodland was needed to fuel the bath houses of Roman Britain?
* how much land did a Roman cavalry regiment require for its horses?^

148 pages, Hardcover

Published April 20, 2000

Reviews

[Colin · Rating 2 out of 5]

An incredibly dry and dull account of what Britain was like around the time of the Roman invasion and occupation, from the geology of its rocks and soil to the species of plants and trees that flourished and were used by humans. Very thorough, but not at all readable.