Roman Officers and English Gentlemen: The Imperial Origins of Roman Archaeology

by Richard Hingley

Overview

This landmark book shows how much Victorian and Edwardian Roman archaeologists were influenced by their own experience of empire in their interpretation of archaeological evidence. This distortion of the facts became accepted truth and its legacy is still felt in archaeology today. While tracing the development of these ideas, the author also gives the reader a throrough grounding in the history of Roman archaeology itself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415235808
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/03/2000
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

Table of Contents

List of illustrations; Preface; Acknowledgements; 1 Imperial discourse: Britain and Rome; PART I: Imperialism; 2 Republicanism to imperialism: the growth of imperial discourse; 3 Decline and fall: a political analogy and provider of lessons; 4 Drawing lessons from Rome regarding incorporation and assimilation; PART II: Englishness; 5 Teutons, Romans and Celts; 6 Ancient heroes of the resistance; 7 The rise of a theory of mixed racial origins; 8 Englishness between the Wars, racial mixing and the role of Rome; PART III: Romanisation; 9 Francis Haverfield and Romanisation; 10 Romanisation: Haverfield's legacy; 11 Conclusions: 'Island stories'; Notes; Bibliography; Index;

Editorial Reviews

Examining late Victorian and Edwardian British writings on Rome and the ancient Britains, Hingley (Roman archaeology, U. of Durham) argues that the perception there of the impact of classical Rome on ancient Britain was used to help the idea and practice of British imperialism. Elites and academics colluded in the construction, which created a legacy that continues. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

'A major contribution to a number of different academic fields Theoretically astute, yet engagingly written, it has a wide potential readership.' - Dominic Montserrat, JACT Review

'Hingley's book is without doubt necessary and admirable.' - David Boyd Haycock, TLS

From the Publisher