This volume discusses as central themes the question of romanitas, the power and influence of the native aristocracy and the gradual acculturation of ‘Roman’ culture within a wider social and religious context. It is a substantive and key piece of research for those scholars considering Romano-British Gloucestershire, the associated architecture, the links between these structures and the wider question of the native aristocracy and Romanisation. It explores the impact of Roman occupation on the rural landscape as well as outlining the development of the urban centres of Gloucester and Cirencester. It reveals that the Romanised buildings — the villas and temples, erected by the native aristocracy — created an appearance of Romanisation. Adams goes further suggesting that it had little significance for the mass rural-based population in Gloucestershire and indeed Britain as a whole.

The themes adduced are critical to our understanding of Roman Gloucestershire and, in wider context, the province as a whole — what was the effect of romanitas on the rural population? How did the native élites retain influence and power? Who built villas and temples? What evidence is there? Is it possible to identify links between villas and temples? What was the nature of religious belief? How did the native aristocracy secure the backing of the Roman administration? How did the native aristocracy retain their identity in the face of profound change?

This is a key piece of research for advancing our understanding of Roman Gloucestershire's rural architecture. The discussions of the villas in ch. 2 and temples in ch. 4 are key sections of the text. A.'s analysis of Romanised villa complexes and temples highlights the wide range of designs, chronologies, intended lifestyles and activities at each site. It examines the architecture and location of villas and temples, finding them to be closely associated (ch. 5). Indeed, the author presents a case that Roman customs were thus predominantly adopted by the local aristocracy, both as a means of exercising their own power and status, and to secure the backing of the Roman administration.

In chs 3–5 A. presents parallels with other British villa and temple sites, but the inclusion of a number of examples from Italy (chs 2, 3, 6) does not seem entirely useful for a volume focused on Roman Gloucestershire. Rather than including the continental examples, a chapter or appendix considering some of the small and less grandiose farmstead settlements from the county would have provided a useful commentary. Recent estimates suggest that 50–70,000 late Iron Age and Romano-British rural settlement sites are known in England compared to between 500 and 2,500 villas. Romanitas in the circumstance of everyday life was a multi-faceted entity and if there is a limitation to this book, it lies in its consideration of ‘traditional’ villa sites in isolation from other rural types of settlement.

In turning to the structure of the volume, it is noted that on occasion the reader will struggle with what is at times a difficult and confusing layout. The figures are presented at different scales and some of the figure captions are out of sequence which makes cross-referencing between them and the text somewhat frustrating. The volume would have been easier to read if table 1 (listing the villas, town-houses and temples) along with a map of the region had been inserted at the beginning of the book. It would have been particularly useful if A. had produced a more detailed map (than the one used) marking on the sites, roads and watercourses. There is no index to accompany the volume and in places the text is over-lengthy and repetitive (ch. 3 pp. 45–6; ch. 4, pp. 75 and 79).

However, this book is a welcome and informative addition to our knowledge of Roman Gloucestershire. In the last two decades, new discoveries and advances have been made in our understanding of rural settlement especially across the gravel terraces of the Thames Valley and from the excavation of a villa complex at Badminton. In urban areas, fieldwork has revealed a Roman cemetery on the outskirts of Gloucester and a Roman shopping precinct in the centre of Cirencester. This volume complements this increasing body of data in presenting associations between villas, temples and town-houses from the region. It clearly draws comparisons between the locations used, the architectural styles employed, the religious practices and romanitas.