36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Concise overview of the archeological evidence for the revisionist view of Rome's fall, December 4, 2008
As another reviewer mentioned, Peter Wells doesn't break much new ground here in arguing that the end of the Roman Empire as a political entity in Western Europe was simply part of a gradual transformation of European society rather than a cataclysmic event. Nevertheless, "Barbarians to Angels" is more than simply a rehash of ideas and arguments previously put forth. Wells provides a concise overview of the archeological research that supports the revisionist view that most people living at the time wouldn't have been aware of any particular "decline" or "fall" of the structures governing society.
That said, I wasn't completely persuaded by Wells's arguments. He does succeed in showing that there was substantial economic and intellectual activity going on during the so-called "Dark Ages," but he doesn't make much of an attempt to quantify that activity, or to compare the level or nature of that activity with what was occurring during Roman times. I don't think that even the most traditionalist scholars have argued that European "civilization" came to a screeching halt in 476 A.D., so it's hardly a revelation to discover that manufacturing and trade continued after that date; that doesn't, however, answer the question of whether, or in what ways, it declined (for lack of a better term) in the absence of Roman authority. It seems indisputable, for example, that the road network established by the Romans fell into disrepair after the Empire's demise, which must have made trade at least somewhat more difficult.
Wells also tends to extrapolate, perhaps overly so, from relatively few or narrow archeological sources. More than once, for example, he discusses the finds in a particular post-Roman gravesite somewhere in Europe, which often include jewelry and other objects demonstrating a high level of craftsmanship, to show that artisanship and trade survived during this period. The question remains, however, to what extent different classes of society were able to take advantage of such activity. Virtually all societies have their elite classes, and it seems reasonable to think that the gravesite of an elite member of society might be better preserved (due to the greater care used in its preparation) and more likely to attract a modern-day digger's attention (due to the presence of gold and other objects of value) than that of a commoner. To place too much emphasis on such sites, then, is not entirely consonant with Wells's "bottom up" approach to history, which focuses on the lives of average people rather than the actions of the "great men" of the time.
In fairness, I should point out that Wells does not limit himself to finds at gravesites; he also discusses, for example, several manufacturing sites to show that pottery (which serves as a useful barometer of overall manufacturing and trade because of its relative permanence in the soil and its widespread geographical and societal distribution) and other consumer goods were being turned out in substantial quantities during the period in question. Again, though, he does not make much of an attempt to compare either the overall level of such manufacturing, or the technical sophistication of the goods being produced, with that of Roman times. In that regard, his book compares unfavorably with Bryan Ward-Perkins's "The Fall of Rome: And the End of Civilization," in which Ward-Perkins argues (persuasively, in my admittedly non-specialist view) that the archeological evidence shows a marked decline in the extent to which the average person was able to obtain well-made pottery for everyday use after the Empire fell.
Despite those flaws, I found "Barbarians to Angels" rewarding. Wells may overstate his case at times, but the book still serves as a useful corrective to the notion that when Rome fell, it dragged all of European society down with it. Wells does demonstrate, convincingly, that the Dark Ages were much more than the violence-ridden period of ignorance and cultural bleakness that still dominates the popular imagination, and that this was, in many ways, a time of dynamic change that is worthy of study in its own right, rather than simply as an unfortunate gap between Roman imperial civilization and the Carolingian renaissance.
At 202 pages of text, the book is a quick read, particularly since the pages themselves are on the small side and there are a fair number of black-and-white photographs throughout. Wells has a straightforward writing style, although he tends to describe particular archeological artifacts in minute, if not excrutiating detail, some of which I frankly skimmed over. I should also note that in addition to his analysis of economic activity during the Dark Ages, Wells provides concise discussions of urban life, as well as of technological, religious, intellectual and cultural activity during this period, which are marked by the same strengths and flaws as his analyses of manufacturing and trade.
In short, this is a worthwhile read if you're looking for a brief exposition of the revisionist, "transformational" view of the Roman Empire's disintegration and its aftermath, with particular emphasis on the archeological evidence. Although stylistically accessible to the general reader, it will probably most appeal to, and would best be read by, those with at least a general familiarity with the subject matter. If you haven't done so, I would also highly recommend Ward-Perkins' book as a companion piece and counterweight to Wells's arguments; together, they provide a fascinating insight into the process by which historians examine and interpret the evidence, often with markedly different results.
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36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Modern Look at the Dark Ages, July 7, 2008
Based on recent archaeological evidence, the author of this book proposes that the Dark Ages, i.e., the centuries that followed the fall of the Roman Empire, were not really as barbaric and totally chaotic as they were previously thought to be. He describes various sites throughout Europe where recent archaeological evidence suggests that life continued and even prospered and that living conditions were not at all as bad as previously thought. Although the writing style is clear, authoritative, accessible and indeed quite scholarly, the book contains several passages that tend to be rather dry even for an interested general reader, e.g., many detailed lists and descriptions of various artifacts found in ancient graves. Perhaps more photographs, including colored ones, of these items could have helped reduce the quantity of such descriptions. Nevertheless, this book can be thoroughly enjoyed by readers who are seriously interested in this topic. It could also serve as a valuable auxiliary textbook for some archaeology courses.
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26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Barbarians to Angels, August 10, 2008
There are so many lengthy difficult books about the Early Middle Ages, written for and by specialists, what a delight to find a short and easy to read summary of the latest scholarship of this rapidly changing multi-disciplinary field, written for a general audience by a medieval scholar with an up to date and useful bibliography.
The term "Dark Ages" has a long and complicated history ever since its invention by Italian Humanists in the 14th and 15th centuries. Modern medieval historians try to avoid the term Dark Ages with its pejorative implications. However some will still justify its use because the period was "dark to us", because of the lack of written record. However even this is no longer the case, a wealth of archaeological information has surfaced to enlighten the period. The old prejudices of a violent, backwards and stagnant time are falling away. Was it different from Rome? Yes, but to apply a value judgment of a "Dark Age" is inappropriate, this powerful metaphor has sadly shaped many peoples vision of the period.
Peter Wells examines some of the enduring myths and shows, through new archaeological findings, rather than a sudden break with the past, a continuity of history. For example there is a myth that urban centers declined or were abandoned, Wells shows substantial evidence this was not the case, using a case example of London. There is a myth of continuous violence and warfare, however Wells suggests this could not have been the case because of freedom of movement and trade that was occurring. There is a myth that technology halted or went backwards, when in fact it was a period of innovation, including the deep plow, horse harness and 3-field system which created a surplus in food, population and specialization. There is a myth that Roman roads deteriorated, which is true, but the original Roman roads were built on ancient roadways and were mainly only meant for military purposes anyway. Artwork flourished in this period finding new and original expressions.
Barbarians to Angels is a quick read for a general audience that summarizes a lot of recent and difficult scholarship. For more specialized works, to understand how we know what we know, the "proof", there is an excellent Bibliography.
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