CH4 - Britain AD: King Arthurs Britain (2004)

By examining the mysterious figure of King Arthur, British archaeologist and bestselling author Francis Pryor disputes the belief that Britain reverted to anarchy after the Romans left in 410 A.D., sinking into the Dark Ages until the Anglo-Saxon invaders restored order. The truth, he says, is far more complicated. In this three-part series, he uncovers the continuous culture that was not destroyed by outside invaders, but rather strengthened by them. Travel with him as he makes ancient history come alive at the scenes of bloody battles and key archaeological sites that reveal the clues to this new view of early Britain.

Part 1: The Real World of Arthur
Francis Pryor reveals that the Roman invasion of Britain was a beneficial experience.
In the first episode Francis tells the story of Roman Britain from the perspective of the native Britons rather than the conquering army, and reveals that the invasion was not a brutal suppression of indigenous culture, but a mutually beneficial experience which the Britons may have actually instigated.

Part 2: The not So Dark Ages
Francis Pryor sheds light on the so-called 'Dark Ages'.
In the second episode of this series, Francis Pryor sheds light on the so-called 'Dark Ages'. He shows that far from a 'Dark Age', archaeologists have discovered evidence of a resurgence of native culture. The classic image of the Romans departing and 'turning out the lights' is shown to be completely false. Francis finds a world inhabited by Christianised, literate Britons engaging in trade and diplomacy with the Byzantine Empire. So far reaching are the implications of these discoveries that the 'dark age' period in Britain has been renamed Late Antiquity.

Part 3: The Invasion that Never Was
Francis focuses his attention on the Anglo-Saxon invasion.
In the third programme of the series, Pryor continues to challenge our perception of early post-Roman Britain, concluding the series with the impact of the Anglo-Saxon invasion. Anglo-Saxon conquest didn't occur with one invasion but rather a series of invasions ranging from the 6th to 8th centuries. It was thought that political change in Britain took place as a result of these events, but Pryor argues that shifting allegiances were already taking place before the foreigners arrived, rather than a violent invasion from elsewhere.