11-27-2010, 01:30 PM
"Influence" is a tricky word. I suspect some of this controversy is caused by our differing meanings (without getting into its etymology and derivations).
The fact that scholarly books are still being written about Roman Britain, the National Trust (and others) preserves and promotes many Roman sites, popular fiction are written (and movies filmed) with Roman British themes, seeking and reconstructing or preserving Roman-era battle sites continues, and tourists trek to these sites of Roman presence all indicate some influence.
Does England's Roman antecedents influence the day-to-day life of modern English? Hardly. There are too many intervening layers of other cultures. But, just as there is a Celtic sub-strata to British culture, there is a Roman one. What and how much one sees depends on what filter one is looking through.
The fact that scholarly books are still being written about Roman Britain, the National Trust (and others) preserves and promotes many Roman sites, popular fiction are written (and movies filmed) with Roman British themes, seeking and reconstructing or preserving Roman-era battle sites continues, and tourists trek to these sites of Roman presence all indicate some influence.
Does England's Roman antecedents influence the day-to-day life of modern English? Hardly. There are too many intervening layers of other cultures. But, just as there is a Celtic sub-strata to British culture, there is a Roman one. What and how much one sees depends on what filter one is looking through.
"Fugit irreparabile tempus" (Irrecoverable time glides away) Virgil
Ron Andrea
Ron Andrea
