Rome and the Barbarians, 100 B.C.-A.D. 400 (Ancient Society and History)
An excellent book that comes from eleven years of painstaking research. Thomas S. Burns has written a readable and well-documented survey of Rome and the numerous peoples to its north... The book is exceptionally well organized... This book is useful for research and in the classroom not only because of its extensive documentation and bibliography but also because it is readable both for scholars and students.(John F. DeFeliceHistory: Reviews of New Books2004-01-00)An excellent study... Burns breaks the stereotype of the barbarians as destructive savages held in check by the Roman Empire. In its place he offers a balanced view of an evolving relationship between complex, diverse societies on the barbarian side and the civilized Romans... The book is enhanced by Burns's very effective integration of the traditional literary sources with the testimony of archaeological evidence... Sheds light on an important aspect of Roman history and is valuable to both the scholar and the beginning student.(J. P. KarrasJournal of Military History2004-01-00)Anyone who has struggled to convey to a class the manifold ways in which the establishment of a legionary fortress revolutionized the life of a region will envy Burns' pedagogical fluency.(Michael KulikowskiBryn Mawr Classical Review2004-01-00)I recommend the book highly as an informed, up-to-date, and well-written review of a huge amount of data, easily readable and well referenced.(Peter S. WellsInternational History Review2005-01-00)This detailed analysis of Roman-barbarian interaction rests on a very solid scholarly base.(Choice2004-01-00)<I>Rome and the Barbarians, </I>is a book that will delight both academics and their students.(Gocha R. TsetskhladzeAncient West and East2006-01-00)A thought-provoking analysis... A good foundation upon which future studies can build.(James ChlupOrdia Prima2006-01-00)A remarkably even-handed portrait of Roman-northern action and reaction.(Frank M. CloverClassical Review2005-01-00)Burns brings thirty years of extensive study of the literary and archaeological evidence to bear on the nature of the impact not only that the Romans had on the barbarians but also that the barbarians had on the Romans. Fortified with a thorough exposition of the source material, meticulous analysis, and provocative suggestions,  <I>Rome and the Barbarians</I> will take the dialogue to another level.(Ralph W. Mathisen, University of South Carolina)A very good read for any student interested in the Romans or the barbarians.(New York Military Affairs Symposium Newsletter2009-01-00)