Roman Gaul and Germany

by Anthony King

Drawing on many recent excavations throughout Gaul and Germany, this generously illustrated book—co-published with the British Museum—brings a wealth of archaeological findings to bear upon a crucial period in Roman history. The Roman provinces of Gaul and Germany cover present-day France, Belgium, and the Rhineland, together with parts of Switzerland and the Netherlands. Distinguished by their rich Celtic and Germanic heritage, they formed an important part of the Roman Empire. In this first general book on the region in many years, Anthony King has interpreted the most recent research data available to reconstruct the Romanization of the provinces until its eventual decline. This book will be keenly welcomed by the archaeological tourist as well as by classicists.

Genres: History, Ancient History, Germany, France

240 pages, Hardcover

Published August 10, 1990

About the author

This is the disambiguation profile for otherwise unseparated authors publishing as Anthony King

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good overview of Roman involvement in Gaul and the smaller account in Germany. The author presented the information clearly and gave lots of details regarding this unique history. The history covered the Roman and Caesar's movement up into Gaul, the attempts of Romanization, the subsequent revolt under chief Vercingetorix, and gradual civil rest and cultural assimilation creating a Gallo-Roman hybrid culture. The author gave lots of details about the uniqueness including towns and cities, rural life and farming, economics and infrastructure, and the gradual development of a Romano-Celtic pagan religion. The region eventually became replaced by the Frankish tribes to become modern-day France.

The author then explained the German interaction. This consisted mostly of frontier stability that was continually interrupted by Germanic tribes leading guerrilla warfare against Roman outposts. The Romans did establish communities, trading and economic centers, and Christian churches that stand to this day. But the Germanic tribes never Romanized and remained problematic for the rest of Rome's history.

I enjoyed this and learned quite a bit. I would recommend this to anyone interested in Roman history and their history in France and Germany. Thanks!

[Jari Havela · Rating 4 out of 5]

400 years in 200+ illustrated pages is not bad.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting. A lot of information in this book but so interesting. The author does a good job explaining the complexity of society in Gaul and Germany. He also does a good job admitting that we don't know as much about Roman Gaul as we'd like to. A good place to go if you have some background in Roman history but are curious about Gaul and Germany in particular.

[Tina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been better with more and better maps. A glossary would have been helpful.