Sacred Britannia: The Gods & Rituals of Roman Britain

The book "Sacred Britannia" provides a comprehensive and up-to-date account of religion in Roman Britain, exploring the introduction of Classical deities and Eastern cults, as well as the challenges and adaptations faced by the native Britons and their gods. Despite the period's remoteness, the book highlights the relevance of the forces, tensions, and issues of identity at work in Roman Britain today.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 06 July 2023
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

Two thousand years ago, the Romans embarked on a quest to incorporate what they perceived as a distant and almost mythical island situated at the farthest reaches of the known world into their Empire. The expeditions of Julius Caesar and the Claudian invasion in AD 43, as well as the enduring Roman presence until the 5th century AD, brought about profound and lasting transformations to the island. Among these was the introduction of a new pantheon of Classical deities and religious systems, accompanied by a host of exotic Eastern cults, including Christianity. However, what about Britannia and its native deities? What cults and cosmologies did the Romans encounter, and how did they respond to them?

Under Roman rule, the ancient gods and their followers faced challenges, adoption, adaptation, absorption, and reconfiguration. In Britain, inscriptions predating the Roman period were scarce, and the divine imagery adorning temples in the Roman world was largely absent. Nevertheless, with the arrival of the Romans, religion became more prominent in Britain. In this groundbreaking and innovative new account, Miranda Aldhouse-Green skillfully combines literary, archaeological, and iconographic evidence, while also critically examining their limitations, to shed light on the intricate complexity of religion and belief in Roman Britain.

Despite the distant nature of this period, which straddles the boundary between prehistory and history, many of the forces, tensions, ideologies, and identity issues at play remain relevant today. Sacred Britannia adeptly unveils these timeless themes, making it a valuable contribution to our understanding of the past and its enduring impact on the world.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 128 x 198 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780500297261