2RHPZ
08-22-2004, 06:03 PM
Battle of Watling Street (61 AD)
When Prasutagus, King of the Iceni, died in 60 AD, the local Roman
procurator Catus Decianus confiscated Iceni lands, and had his soldiers
flog Prasutagus' wife Boudicca and rape her daughters. This outrage,
coupled with repressive Roman taxes to recover previous loans to the Iceni
and tributes levied on the neighboring Trinovantes to build a Roman temple
at Colchester, prompted a revolt of the two tribes lead by Boudicca.
Boudicca's host first sacked Colchester, massacring the inhabitants and
tearing down the new temple. A vexillation of the 9th Legion (Legio
Hispania) from Lincoln rushed to the region to suppress the rebellion, but
was ambushed in line of march, with over 2000 Roman legionaries killed.
Boudicca's army continued their march of retribution, torching Chelmsford
and then Verulamium (near St. Albans). Londinium (London) was next, its
buildings set to the torch and its inhabitants put to the sword. At this
point, rather than dispersing with their loot, Boudicca was able to
convince her host of the need for a decisive battle against the Romans in
Britain before reinforcements could arrive from Gaul. Boudicca's army
continued their advance northwest along the Watling Road to seek battle
against the army of the Roman governor Seutonius Paulinus, as the war of
retribution had become a war of liberation.
Seutonius had been campaigning with the 14th Legion against the Druids at
Mona on the Isle of Anglesey. Returning at first news of the revolt, he
was forced to abandon St. Albans and Londinium to their fate for lack of
available troops. Instead, he gathered his forces at a defensible position
along the Watling Street, which has been tentatively identified with the
Roman fort at Mancetter (Manduessendum or "Place of Chariots"). Here he
purportedly positioned his legions at the head of a wide defile (the
valley of a small tributary to the River Anker), with thick forest and the
fort itself to guard his flanks and rear. The River Anker also ran
parallel across the front of the Roman position, although its effect on
the subsequent battle is not clear.
Tactitus (Annals XIV) described the position as follows: "...He chose a
position approached by a narrow defile and secured in the rear by a
forest, first satisfying himself that there was no trace of an enemy
except in his front, and that the plain there was devoid of cover and
allowed no suspicion of an ambuscade."
According to Tacitus (Annals XIV), Seutonius had a total of 10,000 men,
including his 14th Legion, a vexillation of the 20th Legion, and
auxiliaries. Other estimates put the Roman force at 7000-8000 legionaries
and 4000 auxiliaries (including cavalry). The size of Boudicca's army is
more speculative, with Tacitus reporting 100,000 and Cassius Dio
estimating a quarter of a million. Both sources agree, however, that the
British forces had brought their families along to witness the decisive
battle, and that their carts and wagons were arrayed encircling the rear
of the British position, forming a signficant barrier to movement.
As the armies arrayed for battle, the commanders sought to motivate their
respective soldiers. Boudicca is reputed to have told her followers, "win
the battle or perish, that is what I, a woman will do; you men can live in
slavery if that is what you want." Suetonius' remarks, recorded by
Tactitus from the recollections of Agricola who was present at the battle,
were more business-like: "Ignore the racket made by these savages. There
are more women than men in their ranks. They are not soldiers - they're
not even properly equipped. We've beatten them before and when they see
our weapons and feel our spirit, they'll crack. Stick together. Throw the
javelins, then push forward: knock them down with your shields and finish
them off with your swords. Forget about booty. Just win and you'll have
the lot."
The accounts indicate a fairly straight-forward battle along the lines
encouraged by Seutonius. Boudicca lead her army forward across the plain
and into the narrowing defile in a massive frontal attack. As they
advanced, they were channeled into a tight mass. At approximately 40
yards, their advance was staggered by a volley of Roman pila. The Roman
army then advanced, their superior discipline, tactics and equipment
giving them a decisive edge in the close quarters fighting against the
tightly packed British. As the British losses quickly mounted, the
warbands began to give way, only to find that their encircling wagons
provided an almost impassable barrier. The overall impression of the
battle is of a "Cannae" effect, with the British wagons and carts
providing the decisive containment.
The Roman army cut down an estimated 80,000 Britons, including women and
children spectators in revenge for depredations committed at Colchester
and London. Only 400 Roman soldiers (and an unknown number of auxiliaries)
lost their lives. Fearing capture, Boudicca poisoned herself, and the
great Iceni revolt was brought to a decisive end.
The End of Celtic Britain
http://www.thefab.net/topics/culture_history/hg04_britain_01.htm
Another excelent article on this events posted hist2004: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16834&highlight=boudicca
When Prasutagus, King of the Iceni, died in 60 AD, the local Roman
procurator Catus Decianus confiscated Iceni lands, and had his soldiers
flog Prasutagus' wife Boudicca and rape her daughters. This outrage,
coupled with repressive Roman taxes to recover previous loans to the Iceni
and tributes levied on the neighboring Trinovantes to build a Roman temple
at Colchester, prompted a revolt of the two tribes lead by Boudicca.
Boudicca's host first sacked Colchester, massacring the inhabitants and
tearing down the new temple. A vexillation of the 9th Legion (Legio
Hispania) from Lincoln rushed to the region to suppress the rebellion, but
was ambushed in line of march, with over 2000 Roman legionaries killed.
Boudicca's army continued their march of retribution, torching Chelmsford
and then Verulamium (near St. Albans). Londinium (London) was next, its
buildings set to the torch and its inhabitants put to the sword. At this
point, rather than dispersing with their loot, Boudicca was able to
convince her host of the need for a decisive battle against the Romans in
Britain before reinforcements could arrive from Gaul. Boudicca's army
continued their advance northwest along the Watling Road to seek battle
against the army of the Roman governor Seutonius Paulinus, as the war of
retribution had become a war of liberation.
Seutonius had been campaigning with the 14th Legion against the Druids at
Mona on the Isle of Anglesey. Returning at first news of the revolt, he
was forced to abandon St. Albans and Londinium to their fate for lack of
available troops. Instead, he gathered his forces at a defensible position
along the Watling Street, which has been tentatively identified with the
Roman fort at Mancetter (Manduessendum or "Place of Chariots"). Here he
purportedly positioned his legions at the head of a wide defile (the
valley of a small tributary to the River Anker), with thick forest and the
fort itself to guard his flanks and rear. The River Anker also ran
parallel across the front of the Roman position, although its effect on
the subsequent battle is not clear.
Tactitus (Annals XIV) described the position as follows: "...He chose a
position approached by a narrow defile and secured in the rear by a
forest, first satisfying himself that there was no trace of an enemy
except in his front, and that the plain there was devoid of cover and
allowed no suspicion of an ambuscade."
According to Tacitus (Annals XIV), Seutonius had a total of 10,000 men,
including his 14th Legion, a vexillation of the 20th Legion, and
auxiliaries. Other estimates put the Roman force at 7000-8000 legionaries
and 4000 auxiliaries (including cavalry). The size of Boudicca's army is
more speculative, with Tacitus reporting 100,000 and Cassius Dio
estimating a quarter of a million. Both sources agree, however, that the
British forces had brought their families along to witness the decisive
battle, and that their carts and wagons were arrayed encircling the rear
of the British position, forming a signficant barrier to movement.
As the armies arrayed for battle, the commanders sought to motivate their
respective soldiers. Boudicca is reputed to have told her followers, "win
the battle or perish, that is what I, a woman will do; you men can live in
slavery if that is what you want." Suetonius' remarks, recorded by
Tactitus from the recollections of Agricola who was present at the battle,
were more business-like: "Ignore the racket made by these savages. There
are more women than men in their ranks. They are not soldiers - they're
not even properly equipped. We've beatten them before and when they see
our weapons and feel our spirit, they'll crack. Stick together. Throw the
javelins, then push forward: knock them down with your shields and finish
them off with your swords. Forget about booty. Just win and you'll have
the lot."
The accounts indicate a fairly straight-forward battle along the lines
encouraged by Seutonius. Boudicca lead her army forward across the plain
and into the narrowing defile in a massive frontal attack. As they
advanced, they were channeled into a tight mass. At approximately 40
yards, their advance was staggered by a volley of Roman pila. The Roman
army then advanced, their superior discipline, tactics and equipment
giving them a decisive edge in the close quarters fighting against the
tightly packed British. As the British losses quickly mounted, the
warbands began to give way, only to find that their encircling wagons
provided an almost impassable barrier. The overall impression of the
battle is of a "Cannae" effect, with the British wagons and carts
providing the decisive containment.
The Roman army cut down an estimated 80,000 Britons, including women and
children spectators in revenge for depredations committed at Colchester
and London. Only 400 Roman soldiers (and an unknown number of auxiliaries)
lost their lives. Fearing capture, Boudicca poisoned herself, and the
great Iceni revolt was brought to a decisive end.
The End of Celtic Britain
http://www.thefab.net/topics/culture_history/hg04_britain_01.htm
Another excelent article on this events posted hist2004: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=16834&highlight=boudicca