Sub-Roman Britain (Cavalry etc)

[Agraes]

I also doubt there was any mass production of weapons in that period, especially when it comes to swords, armor and helmets. But skilled craftmen were protected by powerful landlords, some of which were trading with the Eastern Mediterranea and Gaul. Those craftmen worked timber to build halls, jewelry (such as broochs) or were weapon-smiths. The few helmets and suits of armor produced by them would help the potentate to equip his retinue, as gifts, in echange for their lives in the battle. We can imagine that those pieces of equipment were then kept as heirlooms, or looted on the deads.

It is however very true that they had no fabricae, nor the power that could be afforded by the continental germanic kings.

Is it really important to put a date to the "end of Roman Britain"? We know roman culture and litteracy didn't vanished in the 5th century with every one going back to an iron age way of life. But Roman centralised power in Britain had collapsed in the early fifth century. It was then assumed by the next level, no more the diocesan authority but the provincial one (for Ken Dark) or even the civitas. Roman Britain may have killed itself, with civitates waging war on each other and the Saxons invited as extra-muscle in those wars. That's the theory brilliantly exposed by Stuart Laycock in his recent books.