Based on a range of new archaeological research (most of it carried out by the author herself), this book breaks new ground. It examines changes in the Western provinces in the fourth and early fifth centuries, which ultimately resulted in the collapse of the Western Roman Empire. First, the author investigates regional variation within the late Roman West: important differences are found between the heavily militarised provinces of the frontier and those furthur west, and the general shift of focus from one area to another is clearly visible as the fourth century comes to its end. In combination with other burial evidence, the movement of people can be traced through the objects they were wearing, and the activity of the Roman military on the frontiers can be investigated through badges of office - the crossbow brooch and the belt set. Even in the fourth century, the increasing importance of the Germanic-style culture is becoming apparent, corresponding to the breakdown of much Roman-inspired culture in the fifth century. All these strands are skillfully brought together in Dr Swift's new account of the end of the Roman West and its legacy to the post-Roman world. Ellen Swift studied archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology in London, where she was also awarded her PhD. She has worked on a variety of archaeological sites in Britain and abroad. This is her first full-length book.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
What does one wear to an End of the Empire party?,
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This review is from: The End of the Western Roman Empire: An Archaeological Investigation (Paperback)
This book is about late Western Roman archaeological finds focusing on wearable grave goods such as crossbow brooches, belt sets, beads, and bracelets. As interesting as the migration of styles and changing trends in fashions of this period are, the book fails to deliver much analysis of what these finds can tell us about the end of the Empire in the West. There are very few conclusions presented after the evidence is discussed and this was a real disappointment. The changing patterns of wearables along the Danube frontier is perhaps the only section in the book where the author clearly makes her point showing how this field of inquiry can tell us something specific about the geo-political situation at the end of the Western Empire.The study of fashion as modeled in the archaeological record can shed some light on the end of the Antiquity and the beginnings of the "Dark Ages". However, this book does not deliver on the promise of such research.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
What does one wear to an End of the Empire party?,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The End of the Western Roman Empire: An Archaeological Investigation (Paperback)
This book is about late Western Roman archaeological finds focusing on wearable grave goods such as crossbow brooches, belt sets, beads, and bracelets. As interesting as the migration of styles and changing trends in fashions of this period are, the book fails to deliver much analysis of what these finds can tell us about the end of the Empire in the West. There are very few conclusions presented after the evidence is discussed and this was a real disappointment. The changing patterns of wearables along the Danube frontier is perhaps the only section in the book where the author clearly makes her point showing how this field of inquiry can tell us something specific about the geo-political situation at the end of the Western Empire.The study of fashion as modeled in the archaeological record can shed some light on the end of the Antiquity and the beginnings of the "Dark Ages". However, this book does not deliver on the promise of such research.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The 'fashionable' demise of the Western Roman Empire,
This review is from: The End of the Western Roman Empire: An Archaeological Investigation (Paperback)
Dr. Swift has written an excellent book that gives the reader a whole new approach at establishing changes in the last phase of the Roman Empire in Western Europe. Illustrated with colour photos and enhanced by many maps, this great book by Ellen Swift shows the changing patterns of distribution of several typical items that made up the Late Roman dress. Ranging from the Cross-bow brooches that were so typical of the military uniform to Belt-sets, Bracelets and Beads, Swift attempts to show the change of status and popularity of these items, and the reasons behind that. Her conclusions draw a picture of changing population and military concentrations, but also a new look at fashion. Though not without risk, this method is a new approach compared to the usual way of comparing finds with the available historical information, though the author is very aware of the dangers of this new approach. The only fault I could find with the book is its very limited bibliography and its lack of notes, which make it next to useless for the scholar. However, this is the publisher's (Tempus) doing, not the author's.
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