# Friends, Romans, Englishmen...



## Zofia (Jan 24, 2019)

Hallo,

My friend has just given me a Steam Key for Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia. I would wish to start the game but I do not know much about Medevil Britain/England. I am perhaps Übergeek I like to role play as my faction in my mind. Can you recommend a good book on the time peroid?

The game is set in the British Isles, 878 AD. There are ten playable factions, including Wessex, Mercia, Scots Circenn, Gaelic clans, Welsh kingdoms, and Vikings. 

I could easily play Viking but seeing Wessex on the TV show Vikings reminds me of Rohan. Apparently the inspiration of Rohan was pre-Norman Britain. Rohan is very much my favourite from the LotR so would maybe be interesting to learn more of the Wessex people.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

This is very decent, covers the British Isles from the Romans leaving, to Richard III losing Bosworth in 1485, so more than you need.

Alfred the Great was king in your chosen year. History from around then is as much myth, legend and not well documented, so the "truth" is very often hard to find....


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Zofia said:


> Hallo,
> 
> My friend has just given me a Steam Key for Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia. I would wish to start the game but I do not know much about Medevil Britain/England. I am perhaps Übergeek I like to role play as my faction in my mind. Can you recommend a good book on the time peroid?
> 
> ...


I have read a really good book called "British History for Dummies". Starts from ice age, romans, vikings through to Tudor, industrial revolution over to recent times. I liked Romans, Saxons and Vikings.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

You might also want to check _1066 and all that_ by Sellar & Yeatman (it does start before 1066.)


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## Zofia (Jan 24, 2019)

Thanks All for suggesting sorry for late reply I was finishing himework then some light piano practice.



Judith said:


> I have read a really good book called "British History for Dummies". Starts from ice age, romans, vikings through to Tudor, industrial revolution over to recent times. I liked Romans, Saxons and Vikings.


Are these books good? I always thought these for "Dummies" books were over simplifying the subject matter?


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## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Zofia said:


> Thanks All for suggesting sorry for late reply I was finishing himework then some light piano practice.
> 
> Are these books good? I always thought these for "Dummies" books were over simplifying the subject matter?


They are very good. There are lots of them in all sorts of subjects. Explains facts simply and easy to understand. Found this forum through the classical music one


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I'd echo what Judith says. Making things clear is not the same as over-simplifying. And these books tend to be quite entertaining to boot!


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## Zofia (Jan 24, 2019)

Judith said:


> They are very good. There are lots of them in all sorts of subjects. Explains facts simply and easy to understand. Found this forum through the classical music one





CnC Bartok said:


> I'd echo what Judith says. Making things clear is not the same as over-simplifying. And these books tend to be quite entertaining to boot!


Thank both I will definitely look at them they are much cheap on the Kindle. I was put off as ai thought maybe they were like the book you get that tells you what is likely to be in the exams over the full text book of information. Did not mean to be offensive or looking down my nose at them.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

It's an excellent idea to familiarise yourself with that period of history prior to playing the game itself - I am sure that will enhance your enjoyment. Please, though, for the love of God _don't_ bother to read anything about King Arthur/Knights of the Round Table - it is an overblown story based on scant historical fact, and it was distorted even further during the Victorian era by the annoying and misleading use of anachronism.

Whatever you read, Zofia, good luck with getting your head around some of those Celtic/Gaelic names! Hope you really enjoy the game once you get started.


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## Zofia (Jan 24, 2019)

I am sorry I am to tired to post the books right now but I bought several two were charity books. Been enjoying the first perhaps my ignorance I knew Anglo-Saxon/Normans were Germanic but I had no idea the extent of the Danes and Norse influences in the UK. For the example I had no idea the Dane Law lasted so long!


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