Definitely, Cumbria is chock-a-block with Norse name elements (fell, howe, pike, tarn, thwaite, gill, beck, etc) though still enough Brythonic and Angle to spice the toponymy up.
Thanks for all the opinions so far.
I generally prefer my historical fiction (admittedly, I generally prefer history works themselves) along the lines of Umberto Eco, but I have delved into Cornwell et al in the past. Never, in my opinion, going to win a Nobel but any ripping yarn will sometimes do to pass the time.
Not really my cup of tea either, but it's an art museum so only to be expected they were going to adopt a styling not suited to more conservative tastes. And, after twenty years everyone will probably be used to it (see the Sydney Opera House or the Pompadou Centre) and be outshone by a new wave of architects trying to make their name.
I've just finished 'Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell, and 'Day of the Barbarians' by Alessandro Barbero, very well written but I'm sure he could have put much more detail in.
Maybe of interest to those in the UK;
http://uktv.co.uk/index.cfm/uktv/UKTV.tv/c...-17/startTime/6
Seems to be quite a few Roman/Ancient programmes on this day.
Even as late as the 18th Century there were still markets and festivities taking place on the frozen Thames in London (the end of what I believe they call the last Mini-Ice Age).
Just 'thinking' off the top of my head, Egypt was a famous exporter of grain due to the fertility of the banks of the Nile, and Sicily was probably more forested in those days and thus the soil was more firmly secured to the earth.
I tend to agree (although not complaining about Roman remains being visible in the UK) that those 3 legions and countless numbers of auxilia could have been deployed in Gallia if the occupation's intention had been to prevent aid to discontented Gauls. But then Claudius wouldn't have won himself a triumph for that.