Description:The three studies of 'romanisation processes' which are collected in From the Sword to the Plough provide a new, refreshing perspective on the romanisation of indigenous groups in Gaul and the Rhineland, which respects the relative autonomy of native groups and individuals to interpret Roman cultural forms in their own way, in accordance with their own cultural backgrounds and social strategies. With this insight we can better understand the great regional variations which developed within Roman provincial culture.