Caesar
had
planned an expedition to Britannia in 56 BC but the Armorican tribes on the
coast of Gaul had suddenly revolted against Roman rule. They were aided in
this by tribes from southern Britannia. The journey was further delayed by
running battles with the Belgic tribes {Morini and Menapi} who controlled
the narrow divide between Gaul and Britannia.
By August
26th 55 BC two Roman Legions (about 10,000 soldiers) under Caesar's direct
command sailed across the channel in transport ships leaving from Portus Itius
( Boulogne). On the morning of August 27th as Caesar writes, the Roman ships
were standing off the chalky cliffs of Dover. Looking down on them were thousands
of Celtic warriors their shields and helmets and swords glistening in the
morning light.
AS
THE ROMAN SHIPS NEARED THE COAST OF
SOUTHERN BRITANNIA, HOME TO THE CANTIACI TRIBE,
THE BLAST OF MANY WAR CARNAX'S RENT THE SALT SPRAYED AIR. THE BEACH WAS NARROW...THE
CLIFFS TOWERED ABOVE ... SHOWERS OF MISSILES RAINED DOWN UPON THE FIRST WAVE
OF LEGIONARIES AS THEY FALTERED IN THE HEAVING SURF. THE CAVALRY WERE LATE...THEIR
TRANSPORTERS CHECKED BY UNFAVOURABLE WINDS, THIS WAS AN UNHEALTHY PLACE TO
TEST THE METAL OF THE BRITONS. CAESAR COMMANDED THE INVADING FLEET TO DROP
ANCHOR AND REGROUPED OFFSHORE PRIOR TO SAILING A FEW MILES FURTHER NORTH EAST
TO A MORE ASSAILABLE POSITION NOT FAR FROM DEAL. THE BRONZE CLAD TRIBESMEN
FOLLOWED ALONG THE SHORE, CHARIOTS AT THE HEAD...WAR CRIES AND BATTLE TRUMPETS
SCREAMING IN THE BREEZE. THIS WAS THE EDGE OF THE KNOWN WORLD FAR BEYOND THE
PILLARS OF HERCULES AND SUPERSTITION SPREAD LIKE WILD FIRE AMONGST THE ROMAN
TROOPS.
THE AQUILIFER OF LEGION X LEAPT
INTO THE SURF...[fearing they would loose their Eagle as well as their wages
as the Aquilifer was also their banker]...THE TROOPS FOLLOWED WITHOUT QUESTION
AS THEY HAD BEEN TRAINED TO AND FOUGHT THEIR WAY ASHORE IN A CONFUSED AND
VICIOUS BATTLE. WITH THE CRASHING WAVES BEHIND THEM AND WILD BRITONS WADING
OUT TO GIVE BATTLE; THE ROMANS HAD A HARD TIME OF IT. EVENTUALLY THEY SECURED
THE BEACH HEAD AND SOON SCOUTED THE SURROUNDING COASTAL AREA. CONTACT WAS
MADE WITH SEVERAL BRITISH CHARIOTS AND THE ROMANS WERE FORCED TO VENTURE NO
FURTHER AS THEY WERE WITHOUT CAVALRY.
The
need to obtain food locally resulted in scouting and foraging missions into
the hostile countryside. Caesar reports bountiful grain crops along a heavily
inhabited coastline as well as frequent close encounters with British war
chariots. After repairing most of the ships he reluctantly ordered a return
to Gaul, thus ending the reconnaissance of this mist shrouded Island.
SO, WITHIN A FORTNIGHT CAESAR
HAD RETURNED TO GAUL, HAVING SERIOUSLY UNDERESTIMATED THE RESISTANCE OF THE
CELTIC TRIBES.
THE FOLLOWING YEAR 54 BC...
HE WAS READY
AND AMASSED A FORMIDABLE FORCE
OF SOME 25,000 LEGIONARIES,
2,000 CAVALRY
AND AN UNKNOWN NUMBERED AUXILIARY FORCE.
Julius Caesar describes his campaigns in his book
Caesar's Gallic War. In 55 BC 100 ships were used for the expedition to
Britain, 80 ships carried about 12,000 infantry. Whilst 18 ships carried
cavalry, although storms prevented their landing. Each ship averaged about
150 infantry. There would have had to be space spared for forage for at
least a day or so during the embarkation, voyage and landing, so a greater
number is less likely than 600 cavalry. Caesar had the army build the ships
in Gaul specially for the task, as they had done on occasion in other campaigns.
The second invasion in 54 BC brought more than 800
ships used to transport five legions (around 25,000 men) and 2,000 cavalry
troops this time with their horses and a large baggage train. The proportion
of cavalry to infantry was now higher. Caesar had left three legions (15,000
men) and 2,000 cavalry in Gaul to defend the harbours and to provide feed.
Auxiliaries had different equipment to Roman legionaries.
Some of them did not wear much if any armour, but most that did would have
chain mail. They normally wore similar helmets to those worn by legionaries.
The shield was usually made from leather and wood and was oval shaped. Very
useful for skirmishing and the auxiliaries main weapons were usually a sword
and spear. Other types of auxiliaries fought as infantrymen or archers who
were armed with bows and arrows and slings.
Auxiliary troops
were often used by the Romans in situations to their advantage... these
men, as the one depicted below, were equipped with light oval shields and
would use their native spears to great effect.
They were infact forbidden the use of the pilum. This
oval light shield was very usefull in wooded terrain and could be thrust
ahead dividing the foliage. It could also be used very effectively on the
offensive by slicing it sideways into an opponents face, neck or arm. On
the retreat it could be held behind ones back with little effort giving
virtually full body protection against showers of missiles.
The Caesarian shield
as it is known... is completely different and is very heavy in comparison,
not only to the auxiliary shield but to the type that would supersede it,
with the third invasion in AD 43. Using this shield is like fighting behind
a door... you could plant it in front off you and hold your ground. However,
it was another story when the legionary had to advance in a tactical situation
that demanded greater dexterity. These shields would be modified later by
having the top and bottoms cut off, thereby reducing the weight and allowing
them to be more maneuverable in battle! This modification would be so successful
that it would give rise to a new rectangular square cut shield during the
mid first century.
THE LEGIONARIES ABOVE PREPARE TO THROW
THEIR JAVELINS (PILA) AT THE ONCOMING ENEMY.
THE USE OF THIS TYPE OF WEAPON HELPED RID THE ENEMY OF THEIR SHIELDS,
ALLOWING THE ROMANS TO ENGAGE THEM AT CLOSE QUARTERS WITH THEIR INFAMOUS
SHORT STABBING SWORDS (THE GLADIUS).
..............................
Celtic
IRON AGE HILL FORTS
Hillforts
began to appear towards the end of the Bronze Age... but their real zenith
was during the Iron Age. From the 6th century BC, hillforts were to be
seen all over Britannia. They were constructed, using various techniques,
in many shapes and many sizes. Some have just one encircling ring wall
of defence (univallate), whilst others have multiple rings (multivallate).
Each tribal area had their centres of location.
The
defensive rings are comprised mainly of a ditch and a rampart, but some
are formed of ramparts only. At these sites there would be wooden palisades
along the rampart crests, while at others there were stone parapets and
rampart walks. The entrances consisted of timber gates and were often
quite complicated earthworks, incorporating features like watch towers,
bastions and guardrooms.
This
Huge hill fort Maiden Castle, Dorset,was attacked by Legion II
shortly after the invasion of 43AD. Archaeologists discovered several
skeletons of the
defenders of the Hill Fort and the white arrow here points to an iron
scorpion bolt that is still embedded
in
the spine. The Roman artillery would have bombarded the defensive positions
whilst the soldiers advanced up the steep banks in a tortoise like formation.
It must have seemed impossible for the Romans to sack the fort. Little
did the tribes know that this was exactly what the Romans were good at
and was bread and butter to these highly skilled troops. Protecting your
tribe against other internal like minded tribes was one thing... keeping
the Romans out was something else! 
CAESAR
USED CELTIC CAVALRY, MANY WERE
DRESSED IN MAIL SHIRTS (as depicted opposite) AND CARRIED THE
60 TO 70CM SPATHA. THE SPATHA WAS A LONG
CUTTING SWORD POSSIBLEY OF CELTIC ORIGIN. IN THE LEFT HAND OUR CAVALRY
TROOPER CARRIES AN OVAL FLAT SHIELD ALTHOUGH SOMETIMES HEXAGONAL SHIELDS
WERE USED. HORSES WERE UNARMOURED AT THIS TIME THOUGH MANY WERE DECORATED
WITH PENDANTS AND PHALERAE...DISC'S OF
TINNED BRONZE. STIRRUPS WERE NOT USED UNTIL THE SIXTH CENTURY. SADDLES
WERE IN USE THOUGH AND HAD FOUR HORNS LOCKING THE RIDER INTO POSITION
FORE AND AFT.
This is the typical size of a Roman cavalry
horse... strong and sturdy.
Near
Uffington England,
there's a 110 meter long hillside carving of a horse. It was originally
thought to be Celtic... or perhaps Iron Age. More recent tests have
indicated a date closer to 1000 BC, during the Bronze Age. There are...
or were at least 24 of these hill figures in Britain, with no less than
13 being in Wiltshire. Most of these figures are chalk hill carvings,
and the chalk downs of central Wiltshire make it an ideal place for
such designs.
Of the thirteen white horses known to have existed in Wiltshire, only
eight are still visible whilst others have either been completely lost
, or are still there... under the turf, but have long since become overgrown
and are no longer visible. The most curious question of all - why
was this unique structure built?
All
we know is that this famous horse would have been sacred to the Celts
and part of the common landscape during the Roman invasion of this strange
mist shrouded island north of the pillars of Hercules..... Britannia!
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