There are no prizes for finishing a book. Nevertheless, it has become customary that an author, at the end of a work, step up to the podium and thank various agents, editors, colleagues, family, and friends, like an Academy Award winner nervously reading his acceptance speech while the orchestra attempts to drown him out. And so, with the haunting “Love Theme to Walls” welling up from the orchestra pit, I offer the following thanks, but with the crucial caveat that any flaws in this book are everyone’s fault but mine. I accept responsibility only for the good parts.
Well before I even knew where this project was heading, I received CSU Research Grants that funded my participation on three archaeological excavations. I learned a great deal from the archaeologists with whom I worked at Vindolanda—Andrew Birley, Robin Birley, and Justin Blake—and, at Sibot-3, Andre Gonciar, Paul Damian, Adela Baltec, Corina Bors, and Alexandru Ratiu.
Roland Clark of the University of Liverpool kindly performed a close read on an early draft, as did my team of gentle readers: Ian Cheney, my wife, Noelle, and my parents, Otha and Virginia Frye. Wayne Lee of the University of North Carolina also read an early draft and provided valuable encouragement. Four undergraduate research assistants—Shawn Batchelder, Michael Zarcone, Samantha Dobbyn, and Jessica Kokoszka—have aided me in various capacities.
I have benefited a great deal from my association with my agent, Peter Steinberg, and the entire team at Foundry Literary + Media, as well as my editor, Rick Horgan, along with Emily Greenwald and the rest of the team at Scribner. I would also like to thank Laura Hassan and the team at Faber & Faber for their work in preparing the UK/Commonwealth edition.
Finally, I have profited from many discussions on the theme of walls and other topics with various university colleagues, students, and friends. As the orchestra approaches its deafening crescendo, I provide a list in alphabetical order: Kate Alexander, Benjamin Andreotta, Tom Balcerski, Alan Bennett, Dan Brewer, Caitlin Carenen, Kristine McQuarrie Charles, Mike Christina, Joe Corso, John Cox, Brad Davis, Pete DeOrio, Maggie Downie, Margaret Eliason, Craig Emmerthal, Scott Erick, Tim Ferraro, Packy Frye, Kelly Gillette, Al(an) Gore, Mike Greer, Tyler Hewes, Anne Higginbotham, Stefan Kamola, Anya Kirchmann, Allen Lungren, Kevin MacVane, the Mafia Princess, Zach Marotte, Scott McCulley, Joan Meznar, Scott Moore, Asa O’Brien, Jamel Ostwald, Joe Petre, Bill Priest, John Regan, Norm Riley, Jeff Rose, Steve Ross, Sara Schneider, Kristen Sixby, Joe St. Amand, Ashley Stevens, Jason Taraskiewicz, Barbara Tucker, Nick Ugolik, Chris Vasillopulos, the Warrior Princess, John Watt, Bowen Weyel, and Mark White.