History of the Britons [Paperback]

Nennius (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1986

The Historia Brittonum, or The History of the Britons, is a historical work that was first written sometime shortly after AD 833, and exists in several recensions of varying difference. It purports to relate the history of the Brittonic inhabitants of Britain from earliest times, and this text has been used to write a history of both Wales and England, for want of more reliable sources. Nennius is traditionally named as the author of the text, though this interpretation is questioned.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: British Amer Books (June 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899790194
• ISBN-13: 978-0899790190
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,321,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Reprint of Part of a Very Old Collection of Translations, February 11, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: History of the Britons (Paperback)

This small paper reprint comes from a very old collection of translations that contained Gildas, Geoffrey, and Nennius with I believe a section of the Anglo Saxon Chronical. The Translation is rather poor and is from a manuscript inferior to that used for Nennius, History of the British, 1980. This manuscript unlike that used for Myres' edition does not contain the Annales Cambriae. The reason this version is the only one in circulation might be the lack of copywrite protection. Be warned this translation by Giles is not annotated in any way and is in an order not congruent with that cited in most Arthurian secondary literature--following up footnotes will be difficult. If you can get the 1980 translation from a university library or a very good public library, you can annotate this text and correct the the most glaring translation errors.

27 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars cheap, disgraceful, and a terrible wasted opportunity, February 8, 2003

By 

F. P. Barbieri "Fabio Paolo Barbieri" (London UK) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: History of the Britons (Paperback)

When J.Giles translated a number of ancient British and English historical texts in 1844, he was, I suppose, breaking new ground - although not so new as might be thought, since many of his texts were widely and long since known. But that any publisher should see fit to reprint his dated and by now thoroughly inadequate translation, is hard to believe; and that it should be the mighty Penguin, the largest British publisher of classic texts in paperback, is beyond condemnation. It is not as though newer translations were not available. These texts are absolutely fundamental to the understanding of the history of Britain, and to place this in the hands of the ordinary paperback reader, with Penguin's supposed authority behind it, in place of a new version with the insights of 160 years of scholarship behind it, is to do them a grave disservice. I really cannot understand why Penguin has been struck with such a sudden fit of cheapskatehood; or should we think of offloading any shares we have in the company?

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating historical artifact, June 29, 2001

By 

Kurt A. Johnson (North-Central Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: History of the Britons (Paperback)

There is considerable controversy about this work. Drawing on earlier sources (some of which are no longer available), it appears to have been compiled around the end of the Eighth Century by a Welsh monk named Nennius. The book contains (not in this order) a history of Britain, complete with genealogies back to Adam, a list of extant British cities, and a short history of Saint Patrick. Most significantly, the book contains numerous references to Vortigern, Ambrosius and Arthur.

This short book is (compared to modern books) poorly organized, and of dubious reliability. However, as a historical artifact it is quite fascinating. If you have ever read references to Nennius' work in another book, then it would be worth your wile to get ahold of the book, and read see the references in context. I enjoyed it, and think that you will too.