Items related to The Lords of Battle: Image and Reality of the Comitatus...

The Lords of Battle: Image and Reality of the Comitatus in Dark Age Britain - Hardcover

Evans, Stephen S.

 
9780851156781: The Lords of Battle: Image and Reality of the Comitatus in Dark Age Britain

Synopsis

The Lords of Battle examines the image of the comitatus, or warband, as it is portrayed in literary and historical sources from Britain's early medieval period, attempting to determine the extent to which it reflectsan historical reality. Through an extensive use of a variety of source material, literary, historical, and archaeological, the book investigates both the structure of the warband, and the practices and institutions which supported it. After a review of the historical background of Dark Age Britain, Stephen Evans explores the practical characteristics of the comitatus: its military organisation; its internal social structure and its place within society as a whole; and the lord-retainer relationship, its duties and obligations. He also examines the cultural, social, and economic institutions which produced and supported the warband. Overall, the study provides a number of insights into the ideals and practices of Britain's Celtic and Anglo-Saxon warrior-élites during a turbulent period. Dr STEPHEN EVANSgained his Ph.D. from Temple University.

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Synopsis

In examining the image of the "comitatus", or war-band, as it is portrayed in literary and historical sources from Britain's early-medieval period, this work attempts to determine the extent to which this image reflects an historical reality. Through an extensive use of a variety of source material - literary, historical and archaeological - the book investigates both the structure of the war-band and the practices and institutions which supported it. Having begun with a review of the historical background of Dark-Age Britain, the author explores the practical characteristics of the "comitatus", such as its military organization, its internal social structure and its place within society as a whole, and economic institutions which produced and supported the war-band. This discussion incorporates the role of the court poets, hostage-taking, fosterage, food-renders, tribute and booty.

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