Warriors of the Dark Ages (Warriors of Europe) [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Jennifer Laing (Author)

Book Description

Series: Warriors of Europe | Publication Date: March 25, 2000

This book examines the barbarians from Europe and beyond who harassed, eroded and eventually caused the disintegration of the Roman Empire. As the authors show, some, such as the Vandals in North Africa, had short-lived periods of supremacy and relatively insignificant effect on the areas they settled; others, such as the Franks, adapted to Roman ways to create the strong foundations of medieval and later nations. Throughout the text, the authors reconstruct the volatile world of pitched battle and invasion.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The so-called barbarian nations and tribes who contributed to the eventual fall of the Roman Empire provide the subject material for the first title in the Warriors of Europe trilogy. Beginning in the fourth century A.D., diverse groups of raiders attacked and plundered the Roman Empire with varying degrees of success. Although the Visigoths, Huns, Ostrogoths, Vandals, Franks, and Saxons all earned historical reputations as savage marauders, scant attention has been paid to the "events which led to their reputations for mindless violence and destruction." The authors argue that the type of social, environmental, economic, and political exclusion practiced by the Romans left these warrior groups with little choice but to attempt to pillage and destroy the empire, sowing the seeds of modern Europe in their wake. A lively, illuminating discussion of the brutal transition period between antiquity and the Middle Ages. Margaret Flanagan

Product Details

• Hardcover: 189 pages
• Publisher: Sutton Publishing; illustrated edition edition (March 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0750919205
• ISBN-13: 978-0750919203
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,007,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars They're called the Dark Ages for a reason..., February 23, 2001

By 

pullrich "pullrich" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warriors of the Dark Ages (Warriors of Europe) (Hardcover)

...because we don't know much about them. The authors are ambitious, trying to characterize various amorphous peoples and histories. The chapters and text headings seem to suggest that the reader will find some insight into the cultures and practices of various barbarian groups. However, much of the text consists of listings of grave goods, and the pictures are the corroded armor and shields you've seen in other books before. Scanty information is no fault of the authors, but they did offer chapter titles such as "warfare and society" without having much to fill those chapters except for speculation and in some cases accounts of contemporaries. Which brings me to my recommendations, which is to read "Chronicles of the Barbarians" if you are curious about the dark ages. These are verbatum translated accounts by contemporaries writers, mostly romans. Also you might try "the anglo-saxon chronicle" or Beowulf.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Were the early Huns, Goths, & Saxons really violent animals?, March 5, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Warriors of the Dark Ages (Warriors of Europe) (Hardcover)

Were the early Huns, Goths, and Saxons really violent animals, or were they real human beings struggling for freedom? Jennifer Laing's Warriors Of The Dark Ages places a new light on early warriors often depicted as mindless brutes by modern history texts, considering politics, culture, and disputes of the times. Essential for understanding the motivations of these early famous warriors.