Roman Iron Industry in Britain

It is arguable that Rome's success was largely due to its unparalleled expertise with iron which enabled the production of all manner of domestic, utilitarian and military artefacts. This detailed study of the Roman iron industry, focusing primarily on Britain, uses both archaeological evidence and experimental work to highlight the enormous investment of time, labour and skill required in the production process. Sim outlines the various stages in the production process from prospecting and mining, to the preparation of the ore, fuel, smelting, and the production of artefacts, looking especially at those associated with the military: shield bosses, swords, arrows, chain mail, nails and so forth. This is a fully revised and updated edition of the author's previous co-authored Iron for the Eagles (THP 2002).