Warfare, Raiding and Defence in Early Medieval Britain

Warfare, Raiding and Defence in early medieval Britain is an examination of warfare in the period AD400-850, often called the Dark Ages, which is roughly the period between the end of Roman rule and the arrival of large Viking armies. It uses written sources, archaeological evidence and surviving features in the landscape to analyse the nature of warfare in those days, paying particular attention to the large defensive earthworks typical of the period. Luckily these earthworks survive long after the warriors have turned to dust; their locations in the landscape are mute witness to the nature of early medieval warfare. This period helped forge and mould the nations of modern Britain. This book shows that raiding was the driving force behind the political, cultural and linguistic changes that affected post-Roman Britain, and provides a picture of how raids and counter-raiding measures worked in practice. Includes 70 colour illustrations.

Dr Erik Grigg gained his PhD from the University of Manchester in 2014. He teaches early medieval history at Bishop Grossteste University and gives public lectures on historical subjects across the East Midlands. He is author of academic papers, books and articles on subjects as diverse as prehistoric bog bodies, early medieval earthwork and Irish Republican prisoners in World War One.