Imprint
- W&N
- W&N
Prose: non-fiction, British & Irish history
Continues Neil's landmark exploration of how our land and its people came to be, which began with the acclaimed A HISTORY OF SCOTLAND.
Who were the first Britons, and what sort of world did they occupy? In A HISTORY OF ANCIENT BRITAIN Neil Oliver turns a spotlight on the very beginnings of the story of Britain; on the first people to occupy these islands and their battle for survival.
There has been human habitation in Britain, regularly interrupted by Ice Ages, for the best part of a million years. The last retreat of the glaciers 12,000 years ago brought a new and warmer age and with it, one of the greatest tsunamis recorded on Earth which struck the north-east of Britain, devastating the population and flooding the low-lying plains of what is now the North Sea. The resulting island became, in time, home to a diverse range of cultures and peoples who have left behind them some of the most extraordinary and enigmatic monuments in the world.
Through what is revealed by the artefacts of the past, Neil Oliver weaves the epic story - half a million years of human history up to the departure of the Roman Empire in the Fifth Century AD. It was a period which accounts for more than ninety-nine per cent of humankind's presence on these islands.
It is the real story of Britain and of her people.
Neil Oliver
Neil Oliver is a Scottish archaeologist, historian, broadcaster and writer who has become widely known as the presenter of BBC's flagship series A History of Scotland.
Before that, his distinctive style was much in evidence as the charismatic presenter of the award-winning multi-part documentary series Coast and the author of its tie-in book.
His archaeological training at Glasgow University was put to good use in BBC2's series Two Men in a Trench where he visited historic British battlefields and attempted to recreate the events of each battle. He co-wrote the two accompanying books. He has also presented the BBC series A History of Ancient Britain, Vikings, The Last Explorers and Sacred Wonders of Britain, as well as Coast Australia. He lives in Stirling with his wife and three children.
Find out more at www.neiloliver.com or follow him on Twitter @NEIL_OLIVER_
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