I would recommend this book to history scholars and amateur enthusiasts alike — not only those with an interest in Roman Britain, but also those with an interest in the physical/life/earth sciences who would enjoy learning more about the scientific analysis behind historical claims. Certain chapters would even be valuable resources for secondary school students conducting in-depth studies of different aspects contributing to the end of the Roman Empire in Britain.

NetGalley, Leela Chandra

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars


This book is a series of essays that set out to answer 1) why Britannia was so comprehensively ruined, 2) why molecular data does not correlate with archaeological data in regards to Saxon migrations, 3) why Britain speaks English, not an offshoot of Latin.

I'd say that a basic understanding of Roman history is helpful when reading this book, if only because otherwise the sheer number of Emperor's listed could get overwhelming. That said, I do not have a lot of in depth knowledge about Rome, and I still found Lambshead writing to be perfectly comprehensible.

The Fall of Roman Britain covers a time period that I haven't often seen covered in books, with other scholars often focusing on how the Norman invasion of 1066 changed the social and political climate of Britain. This book, instead, discussions how the happenings of the continental empire affected the isolated local populations and Roman transplants, and why the two seem to have (mostly) kept to themselves.

I'd recommend this for anyone who is interested in British or Roman history.

NetGalley, Elizabeth McLaughlin