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JONES, A.E., Social Mobility in Late Antique Gaul. Cambridge University Press, New York, 2013. XI,379p. Paperback. 'This is an excellent book. It is well written, has a clearly articulated thesis and engages with an important group of sources in an innovative manner. Jones offers a prosopography of the lower and middle classes of ‘barbarian’ Gaul. This is based, predominantly, upon an in-depth analysis of the historical and biographical writings of Gregory of Tours, our main source for the transition from Roman to Merovingian dominance in late antique Gaul. Jones argues that the society of late antique Gaul was not divided into two tiers of elite and popular. Instead, people of every social rank participated in a common culture in which all attempted to lead meaningful lives and to improve socially (p. 341), adopting similar strategies in attempting to do so, within the constraints imposed by material resources and social rank, for example. (...) In summary, I have no hesitation in recommending this book. Jones’ work is timely, building in exciting new ways on the groundwork which has been laid by Peter Brown, Ralph Mathisen and Raymond Van Dam on the historical sociology of late antique Gaul. In killing off the idea that late antique Gallic society was divided into two tiers of ‘elite’ and ‘popular’ Jones has accomplished a valuable task.' (JAMIE WOOD on the hardback edition in Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2010.08.51). € 29.50 (New) ISBN: 9781107629929