Fractured Britannia

This book analyses how dress accessories and coinage shaped power and identity in late Roman Britain. Using large datasets, it reveals regional differences in the persistence or abandonment of Roman styles and maps Britain’s transition into post-Roman polities, highlighting shifting social structures and identities.

How did objects of dress and coinage shape power and identity in late Roman Britain?

Fractured Britannia provides an in-depth examination of the distribution of coinage and elite items of Roman dress in later and sub-Roman Britain, offering new perspectives on a period of profound social and political change. While previous research has sought to distinguish groups serving the Roman state, identifying them in the archaeological record remains challenging.

The military and the civil administration relied on hierarchical structures and used similar objects to indicate rank and status. At the same time, local elites, responsible for much of the practical administration of Britain, began to adopt military styles of dress. These changes led to a clear evolution in dress accessories over the fourth century.

Five extensive datasets on crossbow brooches, belt fittings, spurs, penannular brooches, and coins are examined systematically in combination. Previously studied in isolation, these objects reveal insights into social identity, regional variation, and the persistence or abandonment of Roman material culture. The evidence shows that while some regions continued relatively unchanged into the fifth century, others abandoned recognisably Roman forms as early as AD 375. By assessing existing methodologies, revising typologies, and mapping artefact distributions, this book highlights key patterns across sites and regions and makes large datasets publicly available.

Ultimately, the study provides a chronological and geographic framework for understanding how Roman Britain transitioned into smaller post-Roman polities. It analyses the differential use of material culture across site types and compares patterns with the continent, shedding light on the transformation of Britain’s society and identity in the sub-Roman and early medieval world.

List of Figures

List of Tables

Acknowledgements  

Introduction

1. A Brief Outline of the History of Late Roman Britain

2. Varying Lenses: Academic Reflections on the End of Roman Britain

3. The Diocese of Britain

4. Recognising a Soldier or Official

5. Identity and Material Culture

6. Aims, Objectives and Methodological Approaches

7. Crossbow Brooches

8. The Cingulum Militare and Associated Belt Fittings

9. Spurs

10. Penannular Brooches

11. Coinage

12. Siliquae and Solidi

13. A Chronological and Geographical Overview of the Evidence

14. Peeling Back the Layers: Roles and Regalia in Late Roman Society

15. Dissolving Threads, the Transformation from a Roman Diocese to Emerging Post-Roman Polities

Conclusion    

Bibliography

• By (author) Richard Henry

'This book serves as not only a comprehensive database for the most pervasive Roman objects, but also lays the foundation for how Britain transformed during the 5th century. It is essential reading for anyone interested in Roman material culture, as well as the 'end' of Roman Britain and its aftermath.' – Kathryn Krakowka (2026): Current Archaeology 434

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