Capital and Corporal Punishment in Anglo-Saxon England (Hardcover)

Essays examining how punishment operated in England, from c.600 to the Norman Conquest. Anglo-Saxon authorities often punished lawbreakers with harsh corporal penalties, such as execution, mutilation and imprisonment. Despite their severity, however, these penalties were not arbitrary exercises of power. Rather, theywere informed by nuanced philosophies of punishment which sought to resolve conflict, keep the peace and enforce Christian morality. The ten essays in this volume engage legal, literary, historical, and archaeological evidence to investigate the role of punishment in Anglo-Saxon society. Three dominant themes emerge in the collection. First is the shift from a culture of retributive feud to a system of top-down punishment, in which penalties were imposed by an authority figure responsible for keeping the peace. Second is the use of spectacular punishment to enhance royal standing, as Anglo-Saxon kings sought to centralize and legitimize their power. Third is the intersectionof secular punishment and penitential practice, as Christian authorities tempered penalties for material crime with concern for the souls of the condemned. Together, these studies demonstrate that in Anglo-Saxon England, capital and corporal punishments were considered necessary, legitimate, and righteous methods of social control. Jay Paul Gates is Assistant Professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in The City University of New York; Nicole Marafioti is Assistant Professor of History and co-director of the Medieval and Renaissance Studies Program at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. Contributors: Valerie Allen, Jo Buckberry, Daniela Fruscione, Jay Paul Gates, Stefan Jurasinski, Nicole Marafioti, Daniel O'Gorman, Lisi Oliver, Andrew Rabin, Daniel Thomas.

General

Imprint:	The Boydell Press
Country of origin:	United Kingdom
Series:	Anglo-Saxon Studies
Release date:	July 2014
First published:	2014
Editors:	Jay Paul Gates (Customer) • Nicole Marafioti (Customer)
Contributors:	Andrew Rabin (Contributor) • Daniel O'gorman (Contributor) • Daniel Thomas • Daniela Fruscione • Jay Paul Gates (Customer) • Jo Buckberry • Lisi Oliver (Contributor) • Nicole Marafioti (Customer)
Dimensions:	234 x 156 x 21mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Hardcover - Cloth over boards
Pages:	224
ISBN-13:	978-1-84383-918-7
Categories:	Books > Humanities > History > World history > 500 to 1500 Books > Humanities > History > British & Irish history > General Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Crime & criminology > Penology & punishment > General Books > History > British & Irish history > General Books > History > World history > 500 to 1500 Promotions
LSN:	1-84383-918-0
Barcode:	9781843839187

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