This short essay aims to address common popular and academic commentary on the state of the Late Roman Army - particularly the idea that the lack of expansion in the Late Roman army was a sign of martial weakness or inferiority, and the... more
This short essay aims to address common popular and academic commentary on the state of the Late Roman Army - particularly the idea that the lack of expansion in the Late Roman army was a sign of martial weakness or inferiority, and the idea that the equipment used by the army in the late period was somehow inferior to that of earlier centuries
Research Interests:
The purpose of this dissertation is chiefly to examine two periods of Scottish history - the Reformation period, and the period surrounding the Union of the Crowns - and try to ascertain at which point the English language can be said to... more
The purpose of this dissertation is chiefly to examine two periods of Scottish history - the Reformation period, and the period surrounding the Union of the Crowns - and try to ascertain at which point the English language can be said to have overtaken or the Scots language as the language used in the vernacular and the writing of the Scottish Lowlands. Utilising contemporary sources such as manuscripts, publications and correspondence, in addition to modern scholarship from linguists and historians, this dissertation examines the journey that Scots has undergone from a recognised and respected language used in royal, legal and common venues to what became regarded as a dialect of English or even merely slang. Special attention is also paid to the attitudes that important figures in Scottish history had towards Scots, and how these attitudes might have affected its use and disuse in wider Scottish society.