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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Dense starting point, but good., March 23, 2004
This review is from: Barbarian West 400 - 1000 (Paperback)
This is a short little book that is tackling a very large subject. It also, self-consciously is limiting the extent it covers its subject, thus the limiting of 400 A.D. to 1000 A.D. It is also limited in that originally the book was written in 1952, only with some updating done in both '67 and '85. At its core is still a good framework for what was known on the subject in 1950. All that said it does provide a good little introduction to the topic of post-Roman Barbarian folk movements. The major tribes involved in those movements in Western Europe were the Franks, Goths, Lombards, and a few others. Because of the historical record being a lot of Swiss-cheese, with writers from the past often confusing one tribe for another, or using words for Goth or Frank as a generic term meaning "Any German dude" complicates the modern understanding of the situation. The major reason people find the study of these folk movements and invasions confusing is because even the people writing about it at the time, the Roman-Celtic peoples living in Italy, Spain and France were confused by it. This has lead to history scholars being confused about it to a certain extent. Naturally enough, this leads to a lot of confusion among laypersons on the subject. This is only a good introduction though. If you are seriously interested in any of the tribes in particular, then you may wish to look elsewhere. But for an understanding of some of the major interrelationship disputes the various tribes had with the Romans and each other, then this provides a good starting point. Of particular value is the books endnotes and bibliography. These provide direction for the person looking to continue and learn more about the topics and issues raised herein.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
does the author care if you know, March 18, 2008
This review is from: Barbarian West 400 - 1000 (Paperback)
This book covers one of the most confused periods in western history, and I must say it left me more confused than enlightened.
The novice may gain superficial knowledge about the Lombards, Visigoths, Franks, and Ostrogoths, from Hadrill's compact book, but not much else. (I challenge any beginner who trodded through this to say anything illuminating about Visigothic Spain!)
Too many times the author frolics about interpreting documents and developments without giving any background information. If I did not know any better, I would think he was having a debate in his own mind. Hadrill certainly lacks expositional skills, nor is his ability to write clear english any better.
I would not recommend this to a novice (layperson or student). It is one of those books you read, set down, reflect upon, and realize you do not remember anything it said.
For an advanced student who has the requisite background knowledge, it might serve as a contentious (brilliant? tendentious?) interpretive history, but for the beginner it is gibberish.
History professors should stop using this text in introductory courses. Why not pick a text by an author who actually cares about EXPLAINING the Barbarian West to students so that they will UNDERSTAND the time period. Methinks Hadrill wishes to impress with his erudition too much.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
very dense book about this topic, February 21, 2006
This is a short little book that is tackling a very large subject. It also, self-consciously is limiting the extent it covers its subject, thus the limiting of 400 A.D. to 1000 A.D. It is also limited in that originally the book was written in 1952, only with some updating done in both '67 and '85. At its core is still a good framework for what was known on the subject in 1950.
All that said it does provide a good little introduction to the topic of post-Roman Barbarian folk movements. The major tribes involved in those movements in Western Europe were the Franks, Goths, Lombards, and a few others. Because of the historical record being a lot of Swiss-cheese, with writers from the past often confusing one tribe for another, or using words for Goth or Frank as a generic term meaning "Any German dude" complicates the modern understanding of the situation.
The major reason people find the study of these folk movements and invasions confusing is because even the people writing about it at the time, the Roman-Celtic peoples living in Italy, Spain and France were confused by it. This has lead to history scholars being confused about it to a certain extent. Naturally enough, this leads to a lot of confusion among laypersons on the subject.
This is only a good introduction though. If you are seriously interested in any of the tribes in particular, then you may wish to look elsewhere. But for an understanding of some of the major interrelationship disputes the various tribes had with the Romans and each other, then this provides a good starting point.
Of particular value is the books endnotes and bibliography. These provide direction for the person looking to continue and learn more about the topics and issues raised herein.
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