Sub-Roman Britain (Cavalry etc)

[Medicus matt]

We should also note that Briton tribal structure reasserted itself--in the same tribes in approximately the same areas. .

Did they though? I know it's a theory but I remain unconvinced that there's any great evidence for it. The centering of post-roman administration on old tribal capitols is most easily explained by the fact that these old tribal capitols had, in many cases, evolved into centers of roman administration in areas bounded by the same natural features (rivers, hills etc) that existed before the romans arrived.

In itself it doesn't indicate a devolution into a pre-roman tribal mentality or some 350 year old memory of 'the old ways', just a continuation of succesful local administrations.

I know Stuart Laycock has done a lot of work to try and substantiate this theory and it's all well written stuff but I'm not sold on his idea of trying to equate Britannia in the 5th century with the Balkans in the 20th.