British Forts in the Age of Arthur

Description

A number of books written in the past several decades have attempted, with varying degrees of success, to reconstruct the appearance and experiences of the sub-Roman warriors of 'Arthurian' Britain, but this is the first book I have ever read that actually looks at the forts and fortifications used by these Celtic fighting men in any detail.

The forts and fortresses used by the British warriors after the Roman collapse in the late 4th Century were various in their origins - some were newly contructed whilst others were recycled Celtic hillforts, or reoccupied Roman ruins. While detailing the strategic and cultural roles played by the forts, the author points out that their primary function was as a HQ's for the elite following of local warlords. Earlier Celtic tribes who had opposed the Romans sheltered all of their people inside their hillforts, but the wars fought after the Roman collapse were primarily the business of upper class horse-warriors, and were not as dangerous for 'civilians'.

This book is full of line illustrations, photographs, some in color, and color plates depicting daily life inside the forts - making it an excellent visual source like most Osprey books. It details not only the fortifications used by the Roman-Britons and early medieval Welsh, but even those used by their Saxon foes. In summary this is an essential book for anyone with a serious interest in the historical King Arthur and the tumultuous era in which he lived and fought.