How should we nowadays understand the Anglo-Saxon 'Invasions' of lowland Britain?

... How should we nowadays understand the Anglo-Saxon 'Invasions' of lowland Britain? There is considerable uncertainty about the transition from a 'Romano-British' society to a predominantly 'Anglo-Saxon' society that occurred in most of lowland Britain between the fourth and sixth centuries; indeed, since we must rely on a very few writings, supplemented by fragmentary archaeological and philological evidence, it is questionable to what extent we can hope to 'understand' the period. Nevertheless, by considering the different types of evidence in relation to each other, we can reach tentative conclusions. I do not propose to analyse in detail the precise chronology of the period: the basic outline, upon which Gildas and archaeological evidence agree, is that, after Roman and sub-Roman leaders invited mercenaries from the Continent in the fourth and fifth centuries, these mercenaries rebelled. Joined by others from the Continent, they settled across southern and eastern Britain over subsequent centuries. This expansion

want to read more? →