Sir David Wilson Lecture in Medieval Studies: 'From Ashdown to the Burghal Hidage: Alfred's rise to "greatness" reconsidered'
Unfortunately Prof Price’s promised lecture has had to be postponed. We are very grateful to Dr Gareth Williams, Curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum, who has kindly stepped into the breach and will be giving this year’s Sir David Wilson Lecture in Medieval Studies this Wednesday at 18:15 in Lecture Theatre G6 of the IoA. Dr Williams will be speaking on the subject of From Ashdown to the Burghal Hidage: Alfred’s rise to ‘greatness’ reconsidered:

Alfred of Wessex (871-99) is the only English king to be widely known as ‘the Great’. Although this reputation is based on a number of factors, one of the most important was his success in both defending and expanding his kingdom at a time when other Anglo-Saxon kingdoms were conquered and settled by Viking forces. The conventional narrative of how he achieved this is largely derived from sources written at Alfred’s court in the later years of his reign, by which time he had established firm control over parts of Mercia as well as well as Wessex. This lecture reconsiders the documentary sources for the development of Alfred’s authority in the light of numismatic and archaeological evidence.

Dr Williams’ lecture will be followed by a drinks reception and the much-anticipated book launch in the IoA Staff Common Room (Room 609). We do hope to see you all there.
Date: 23 October 2019, 18:15 (Wednesday, 2nd week, Michaelmas 2019)
Venue: Institute of Archaeology Library, 36 Beaumont Street OX1 2PG
Venue Details: Lecture Theatre G6
Speaker: Dr Gareth Williams (Curator of Early Medieval Coinage at the British Museum)
Booking required?: Not required
Audience: Members of the University only
Editor: Laura Spence