The First Kingdom

In this insightful exploration of Britain's 'age of Arthur,' bestselling author Max Adams delves into the formative years following the Roman legions' departure in the fifth century. He critically examines historical narratives, debunking myths surrounding Arthur while synthesizing four decades of research. Focusing on a key question about taxation in the post-Roman era, Adams employs various perspectives—from anthropology to geography—to illustrate the emergence of distinct polities in sixth-century Britain, intertwined with the landscape and preserved in place names.