How England Began: From the Romans to the Anglo-Saxons

REVIEW BY CH Nicholas Higham’s comprehensive exploration of how ‘Roman Britain’ transitioned into ‘Anglo-Saxon England’ brings with it a wealth of topics that still resonate today – discussions of migration, integration, and cultural influences; Britain’s relationship with continental Europe; and ideas of identity and hostility towards ‘otherness’. It is an ambitious work, densely detailed and covering a diverse range of subjects – but that is not to suggest that the book is heavy going: Higham writes with a brisk confidence and clarity, and he has a particular knack for summarising how interpretative trajectories have evolved over time. The book is scholarly and th