Beric the Briton: A Story of the Roman Invasion
George A. Henty
Paperback
(Fireship Press, Feb. 24, 2011)
With 48 pages of additional articles, references, and bibliographies of recommended reading. Between roughly 43 AD and 410 AD, the Roman Empire had extended itself to Great Britain. The local tribes were no match for disciplined Roman troops, and breaches of the Pax Romana were treated promptly and with ferocity. The Britons were thus under a state of subjugation; but that was not, in all respects, a bad thing. With the law and order that the Romans brought came advances in agriculture, industry and architecture that can still be seen and felt today. In this tale George Henty introduces us to Beric, a young man who fights with the Iceni tribe, led by the Warrior Queen Boadicea, against the Roman occupiers. After their eventual defeat, he leads a guerrilla band against the Romans from the swamplands to the west of the Iceni territory, but is captured and shipped to Rome. There he is trained as a gladiator, gains fame when he defeats a lion single-handed, and winds up serving in the palace of the degenerate emperor, Nero. He journeys back home when Nero dies, but his welcome is not what he expected. This book is an excellent exposure to the Roman conquest of Britain, a chapter in history that is far too often neglected. Henty's History Series Learning History Through Fiction The Henty series is a unique way of learning about history. It consists of over 80 novels, each written by George A. Henty, and each featuring a significant historical person, period or event. * Perfect for busy people who have never lost their desire to learn. * An ideal way for homeschool students to learn history. * Organized by time period. * With additional nonfiction articles and a bibliography of recommended reading. "If you want to fall in love with history, there is simply no better way to do it than this."