TELEVISION

England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest

Series: England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest
4.7
(54)
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Episodes
24
Rating
TVPG
Year
2022
Language
English
Publisher
The Great Courses

About

England: From the Fall of Rome to the Norman Conquest takes you through the mists of time to the rugged landscape of the British Isles. Over 24 sweeping lectures, Professor Jennifer Paxton surveys the forging of a great nation from a series of warring kingdoms and migrating peoples. From Germanic tribes to Viking invasions to Irish missionaries, she brings to life an underexamined time and place.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1 to 3 of 24

1. Exploring How England Came to Be

32m

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Step back to Anglo-Saxon England to see what makes this period of history so captivating. After a brief survey of the traditional scholarship across the ages, Professor Paxton outlines how we will be forming our picture of the Anglo-Saxons, including written evidence, literary sources, archaeological artifacts, "paleopathology," and more.

2. The Rise and Fall of Roman Britain

32m

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When the Romans arrived in the British Isles, the empire was already on the decline, and it was in the crucible of this decline that England would be forged. Explore the impact of the Romans on Britain, from Hadrian's Wall to the city of London. Consider the role of Christianity, the state of language, and the collapsing economy during this time.

3. The Germanic Migrations to Britain

31m

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Generations of school children have learned about three primary invasions of Germanic people: the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes. Reflect on the accuracy of this narrative, and then see how varying sources as well as DNA and archaeological evidence paints a much more complex picture of Germanic migrations.

4. The Britons Resist: The Legend of King Arthur

29m

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A survey of medieval Britain might make it seem as though the myriad Germanic migrations were all peaceful, but was there any resistance among the locals? Here, the answer can be viewed through the legendary King Arthur and his knights of the round table. Was he a real person? Who was he based on? And what impact did he have on the history of Britain?

5. Everyday Life in 6th-Century Britain

29m

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Pause in this fascinating period between the decline of Roman Britain and the rise of a new Anglo-Saxon order. What was everyday life like for average citizens? Meet some of the ethnic groups that made up 6th century Britain, explore their settlements, and examine some of the era's hardships that can be seen today in the bones of the people who lived through it.

6. The Birth of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

30m

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Thus far we have seen that thanks to migration and the fusion of Germanic and native British cultures, a coherent population-the Anglo-Saxons-was emerging. The political vacuum left by Rome was filled by a series of smaller kingdoms across England. In this episode, tour several of these kingdoms and how they came into being.

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

Artists

The Great Coursesdirector
The Great Coursesproducer
Jennifer Paxtonactor

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