An Age of Tyrants: Britain and the Britons, A.D. 400-600 [Paperback]

Christopher A. Snyder (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1998

An Age of Tyrants explores an obscure period in the history of the British Isles often referred to as Sub-Roman Britain. Such a label implies that social and cultural decline followed the end of Roman imperial control. But Christopher Snyder shows that Britain developed unique social, political, and religious institutions during this time. Snyder's innovative approach involves analysis of both the written and archaeological record. Looking at contemporary writers such as Patrick and Gildas, he shows how the cultural and political landscape was changing during this period. By the waning years of the Roman Empire, Britain was earning a special reputation as a "province fertile with tyrants." These tyrants dominate the historical accounts of the fifth and sixth centuries and tell us much about the transition from magisterial to monarchical power in Britain. Combining this with what we know from archaeology, Snyder reveals a society that was a hybrid of indigenous (Celtic), Mediterranean (Roman), and Christian elements that preceded the coming of the Anglo-Saxons. An appendix explores how Arthur and Merlin fit into this picture. Snyder's other important findings include:- The military arrangements of the Britons owed much to both Roman and Celtic inspiration.- The spread of Christianity (and especially monasticism) after 400 was swift and unhindered by paganism.- The economy of Britain was not completely coinless and, indeed, was seemingly vigorous with the revival of trade with Gaul and the Mediterranean.- The growing cultural antagonism between the Britons and the Saxons would have far-reaching consequences.

Editorial Reviews

Review

An Age of Tyrants is a well-crafted and thoughtful survey of a little-known period of British history. It is an attractive book for lay readers and specialists alike. --Frederick C. Suppe, Ball State University

About the Author

Christopher A. Snyder is on the faculty of History and Politics at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia. He is the author of Sub-Roman Britain (A.D. 400-600): A Gazetteer of Sites (British Archaeological Reports, 1996).

Product Details

• Paperback: 403 pages
• Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press (May 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0271017805
• ISBN-13: 978-0271017808
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #444,652 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Considers the written and archealogical records together., April 17, 2000

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Mark Howells (Puyallup, Washington State, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Age of Tyrants: Britain and the Britons, A.D. 400-600 (Paperback)

A very even-handed account of Sub-Roman Britain. Beginning with a review of the contemporary written sources, the author provides a new and insightful method of studying this Dark Age society through their use of common and important words such as "civitas" and "tyranni".

After getting the most from the few written works available from both inside and outside Britain, the second half of the book considers the archealogical record of period. This part alone is an excellent overview of the latest knowledge which the archealogist's trowel has been able to bring to bear on the period. Orgainized in categories such as cities and religious sites, the book considers Sub-Roman patterns of site usage throughout the country rather than focusing on a site-by-site survey.

Very accessible reading which leaves you wishing for more.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Important Book, February 4, 2002

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S. Crouch (Tuggeranong, A.C.T. Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Age of Tyrants: Britain and the Britons, A.D. 400-600 (Paperback)

It is very refreshing to read a book about this period of British history that is not obsessed with the Arthurian legend, interesting though that is. Mr Snyder uses the little written evidence there is from the 410-600AD period to try and form a picture of the conditions at the time. The second part of the book discusses the archaeological evidence in depth and the final part constructs a coherent picture of what life must have been like in post Roman Britain using the evidence of the first two sections. Arthur and Merlin are mentioned in an appendix and at a few points within the text but only to point out that the historical evidence cannot say one way or the other whether these personalities existed.

Mr Snyder has settled on the title "An Age of Tyrants" to describe the era as being preferrable to "Sub-Roman Britain". I'm not sure if this title is adequate but it is superior to the somewhat demeaning "Sub-Roman" description. This period was clearly not as savage as has previously been thought.

My only minor criticism is that I would have preferred to see more illustrations of the archaeological sites and artefacts but overall I found this an extremely interesting book that was difficult to put down.

25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough survey of 5th and 6th Century Britain., December 29, 1998

By 

P. Turner (Irmo, SC, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: An Age of Tyrants: Britain and the Britons, A.D. 400-600 (Paperback)

Snyder provides a thorough survey and sound evaluation of the documentary and archaeological evidence for the Fifth and Sixth Centuries in Britain. These two centuries are the "lost" period in British history, lying between the better-known Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. Snyder provides insight into a period of great changes and adaptations, showing how Roman era political and social institutions and concepts were transformed to deal with altered circumstances. In a sense, Snyder's work could be seen as a partial update of the invaluable _Arthur's Britain_ by Leslie Alcock. "Partial" because Snyder intentionally deals only with those surviving documents that are contemporary to the period (e.g., St. Patrick, Gildas, Life of Saint Germanus). He deliberately avoids the accounts of this period which were written in slightly later times (e.g., Bede, Annales Cambriae, Nennius, Anglo-Saxon Chronicle). These later sources are based upon early documents (since lost) and oral tradition, and are therefore more problematic than the contemporary documents. Snyder thus carefully avoids the controversy surrounding the question of the historical basis for the King Arthur legend. This omission does not, however, render his work less valuable to Arthurian enthusiasts; to the contrary, it provides a firm factual foundation from which those daring souls may approach the more problematic material and tackle the Arthurian controversy