Well, for starters they handed down a portrait through history of the Barbarians as being a bunch of, well, barbarians. Not so quick, says Monty Pythom alum, Terry Jones. In his new book Terry Jones' Barbarians, co-written with Alan Ereira and the accompanying BBC television series, he argues that:
"we have been sold a false history of Rome that has twisted our entire understanding of our own history.
Terry Jones' Barbarians takes a completely fresh approach to Roman history. Not only does it offer us the chance to see the Romans from a non-Roman perspective, it also reveals that most of the people written off by the Romans as uncivilized, savage and barbaric were in fact organized, motivated and intelligent groups of people, with no intentions of overthrowing Rome and plundering its Empire.
This is the story of Roman history as seen by the Britons, Gauls, Germans, Greeks, Persians and Africans. The Vandals didn't vandalize - the Romans did. The Goths didn't sack Rome - the Romans did. Attila the Hun didn't go to Constantinople to destroy it, but because the Emperor's daughter wanted to marry him. And far from civilizing the societies they conquered the Romans often destroyed much of what they found.
Hopefully the series will be shown here in the States at some point. Otherwise keep an eye out on Usenet or your favorite torrent site for copies. If you can make it to Michigan in May, Jones will be speaking at the 41st International Congress on Medieval Studies. His topic is Richard II.
Terry Jones has produced a crude piece of anti-Roman propaganda. The Romans did not call all foreigners "barbarians": this term was seldom applied to the Jews, Carthaginians or Parthians. The barbarians were typically northern tribes who were continually fighting amongst themselves and little concept of the rule of law.
ReplyDeleteHis account of Trajan's conquest of Dacia is a travesty, leaving out prior raiding of Roman provinces by King Decebal and his subsequent treachery after accepting a peace treaty.
His scorn poured on Roman historians like Tacitus is also an outrage, given that he uses them as sources for Roman misdeeds. He believes Tacitus when he tells us that Roman officials raped Boudicca's daughters, but not when he tells us that the Druids practised human sacrifice!
Jones is an emotional neo-Druid riding an anti-imperialist hobby-horse because of his dislike of modern-day America. Those who have a serious interest in this subject should read Romans and Barbarians by Derek Williams.
Homer - thanks for leaving the comment. As of yet, I haven't read the book nor seen the TV series so I honestly can't comment on it. I will have to check out the book you recommended. Are you a historian? History buff? Thanks again.
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