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Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West, 376 - 568 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)

4.7 out of 5 stars 6 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0521435437
ISBN-10: 0521435439
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  • Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West, 376 - 568 (Cambridge Medieval Textbooks)
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 614 pages
  • Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 18, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0521435439
  • ISBN-13: 978-0521435437
  • Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.4 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #171,348 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
This is one of my favorite historical periods, and I've read a number of histories of this period, including most of the recent ones and had actually held off on purchasing this because I wondered if it would simply re-tread old ground. I'm pleased to say that this book was an excellent read and contained several highly original ideas that were well thought out and truly provided me with new ways of looking at the period. These include: the true nature of early barbarian settlement, the origin and role of Alaric; the formation of the Frankish kingdom; a quite well thought out analysis of developments in Britain after the fall that engaged the existing evidence to a greater degree than the many books that simply skip over this province, while stopping well short of some of the excesses in other books that analyze this same puzzle; the extent is Visigothic control over Spain, and the role of the moors in Africa and the Vandal kingdom; among other things.

In general, Halsall really excels at calling out the educated guesses made by historians about the period which have morphed over time into accepted facts. He reintroduces a healthy sense of uncertainty and offers up alternative ideas and explanations that encourage you to think more deeply about the period. The primary sources for the 5th century are thin and the desire to explain the fall of the Western Roman Empire in a simple narrative is strong. There is more than one way of interpreting the available evidence and opening the doors to other possibilities helps breath new life into the story of the fall of Rome.

That said, there were some parts of the book that made for slow reading. The obligatory historiography chapter and ethnicity chapter at times felt a bit like eating peas so I could get to dessert.
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Format: Paperback
Guy Halsall's Barbarian Migrations and the Roman West is about the best book if you are looking for an overview of modern interpretations of the so called Migration Period. Despite the apparent regional limitation to the 'Roman West' the book also covers a lot of history relating to the 'Roman East' as well. It is a shame and unfair that the rating of this book was marred by a review how took issue with the price.
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A major addition to this growing field. Knowledge of the transition from the Roman world to the European world (from about 400AD to about 800AD, aka Late Antiquity, Early Medieval) has been growing rapidly. This knowledge is just now being synthesized and published.

This book is from the perspective of the movements of the non-Roman barbarians into what is now western Europe. The author emphasizes the fluidity of ethnic identification as well as the relatively low numbers of the invaders, while acknowledging the major impact they had on culture, society and politics.

I would recommend this book plus Framing the Early Middle Ages: Europe and the Mediterranean, 400-800 by Chris Wickham. In combination they give an excellent view of the changes that occurred, and the current ideas as to why. These are both upper undergraduate, early graduate level reading. I haven't read it yet, but The Fall of the Roman Empire: A New History of Rome and the Barbariansby Peter Heather is frequently cited by both authors (although mostly to respectfully disagree).

It helps if you have a basic understanding of the history of this time. The Civilization of the Middle Ages: A Completely Revised and Expanded Edition of Medieval History by Norman Cantor is a good start, although he(necessarily) does not go in depth. If you want to read a classic The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Gibbon is also a start. (It's where I started.)
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