Malcolm Todd (1939–2013)

odd's book has become the standard introduction to the history and archaeology of the early Germanic peoples in English. In a remarkably clear and concise work, Todd manages a comprehensive overview of much of the main evidence regarding the Germanic tribes which goes a long way to correcting the popular conception that they were the filthy grunting savages seen in the opening sequence of the movie 'Gladiator'.

In the first part of the book he covers most of the important aspects of the culture of these tribes, covering the physical landscape of forest and marshland in which they lived, their general social structure, trade and diplomacy with Rome, burial customs, art, technology and (of course) warfare. He draws on both literary and archaeological sources of information and uses both judiciously to present a concise picture of these complex and warlike peoples.

Part Two gives brief but useful summaries of the history of the major tribes who took part in the 'Age of Migrations' from the Third to the Seventh Centuries AD. He presents information on the Goths, Seubi, Vandals, Franks, Alemanni, Burgundians, Gepids, Lombards, Thuringians, Bavarians and the Scandinavian tribes, with mentions of many other minor peoples. Each of these is little more than a useful sketch ranging from four to forty pages each (consider that Herwig Wolfram's 'History of the Goths' checks in at over 600 densely packed pages), but each of these is enough to introduce the essential information about each these peoples and direct the interested reader to more extensive information. It also shows that these tribes differed from each other culturally and, to an extent, linguistically and that what is true about the Germanics in the First Century may not be so in the Sixth.

The book is well illustrated with maps, diagrammes, photos of artefacts (both Germanic and Roman) and line drawings and its bibliography, while not comprehensive, is an excellent jumping off point for the reader who wishes to know more.

While the Celts have become a topic of keen interest in recent years, with a plethora of books on them ranging from fine academic works through coffee table books to arrant New Age nonsense, the ancient Germanics are, in a way, the neglected peoples of the ancient world. Given that England was established by Germanic tribes and that they were in many ways the successors of the Roman world, it is a little surprising that these vibrant, warlike and artistic 'barbarians' are not far better known and understood in the English-speaking world.

An excellent book for both the undergraduate student and the general reader. Along with his 'The Northern Barbarians' I can recommend this work very highly.… (més)

At a little over two hundred pages, it's a great achievement that Todd manages to pack as much of the four centuries of Roman Britain that he did into this book. It's very readable, and an excellent primer on the subject if, like me, you need to refresh yourself on one or two key dates or events while prepping for an exam.

That said, there are a number of areas in which I felt that Todd was making assumptions which can't be supported by the available evidence, or which seem to have a distinct cultural bias in them. I also wasn't wild about the fact that he consistently referred to the native Britons as 'barbarians.' Surely that is both a label which is only valid from a Roman point-of-view, and one which is no more or less clumsy than simply referring to the inhabitants as 'British'? There are also a number of areas in which the scholarship simply isn't up-to-date, as the book was published in 1981.

Anyway, a good introduction to a subject which has a huge bibliography, but not a work which can be relied on to any great extent. Recommended, but with reservations… (més)