Subdividing the Dark Ages (Heroic Age) into periods

[Imperial Dave]

Been pondering hiw we view Late Roman/Sub Roman/Romano British/Anglo-Saxon history in the 'true' dark ages. For some the period begins with 410 and ends with 597. For others a broader brushstroke is applied with 383 or even 367 as the starter and 664 as the end point

Regardless, we can attempt to view this as a set of periods much like the Roman Empire (early middle late) etc. I've been trying to get my head around a set of defined sequences within the roughly 200-300 year period

So very roughly we could characterise the period as

-Late Roman to post Roman provincial
-Federate revolts
-Contraction of Roman provincial to local Romano British polities
-Rise of Anglo Saxon kingdoms

Thoughts?

[Jim Webster]

I do like them, but the names predetermine the history.
So if we give them numbers

1-Late Roman to post Roman provincial
2-Federate revolts
3-Contraction of Roman provincial to local Romano British polities
4-Rise of Anglo Saxon kingdoms

The problem is that in some places 1 might have lasted twenty years, followed by 2. 3 lasted a full afternoon in some places being followed by 4.

In others (Wales and Cumbria) 1 faded into 3 without 2 happening in their area, and 4 probably happened before the Norman Conquest, but might have been more Anglo Dane than Anglo Saxon 

For a small country we have an awful lot of history and manage this by having different areas run different time lines 

[Imperial Dave]

True. It's not one size fits all admittedly

I will try and put some tentative dates to these broad phases

[Ian61]

This looks fraught with potential controversy. It's in line with ¿where does the north start? In England.

[Jim Webster]

This looks fraught with potential controversy. It's in line with ¿where does the north start? In England.

That's easy. The Ribble and the Aire are the southern boundary of the North.
Next question?   

[Ian61]

Never thought of Preston As a fronter town but...

[Imperial Dave]

Try it on a Saturday night....

[Jim Webster]

Try it on a Saturday night....

obviously an aficionado   

[Imperial Dave]

Im saying nuffink guv

[Lisia]

I like Dave's thematic method. But in my own catalogue of articles, books, etc., I use personalities, so:
1 Theodosius
2 Magnus Maximus
3 Stilicho
4 Constantine III
5 Vortigern, Hors & Hengist
6 Cerdic & Cynric
7 Ceawlin
8 Urien
9 Aethelferth & Edwin
10 Penda, Catwallaun & Oswald

[Erpingham]

The Ribble and the Aire are the southern boundary of the North.

Nah. Places like Sheffield and Donnie are so grim, they must be "up North".

[Keraunos]

I thought the north began at Watford Gap

[Denis Grey]

For some of us, it starts at the Thames.

[Imperial Dave]

I like Dave's thematic method. But in my own catalogue of articles, books, etc., I use personalities, so:
1 Theodosius
2 Magnus Maximus
3 Stilicho
4 Constantine III
5 Vortigern, Hors & Hengist
6 Cerdic & Cynric
7 Ceawlin
8 Urien
9 Aethelferth & Edwin
10 Penda, Catwallaun & Oswald

Also a really good way to categorise the period in question

[Lisia]

I like Dave's thematic method. But in my own catalogue of articles, books, etc., I use personalities, so:
1 Theodosius
2 Magnus Maximus
3 Stilicho
4 Constantine III
5 Vortigern, Hors & Hengist
6 Cerdic & Cynric
7 Ceawlin
8 Urien
9 Aethelferth & Edwin
10 Penda, Catwallaun & Oswald

PS: I missed Ambrosius Aurelianus at 5.5