12-02-2018, 12:24 AM
(12-01-2018, 11:41 PM)John1 Wrote: most of the force that had done Colchester... returned home with plunder whilst war bands burned a poorly defended and deserted London
If the main Iceni force were already back 'home', why did Paulinus go all that way down to London at all? Why did he consider fighting a battle there? Why did he evacuate the city?
(12-01-2018, 11:41 PM)John1 Wrote: they seem to have been pretty important to people with swords 2000 years ago.
Just as historical texts are important to people 2000 years later trying to work out what happened in the past!
(12-01-2018, 11:41 PM)John1 Wrote: big force of a combined set of bands approaching from the south
There's a fuzziness creeping into your sense of scale here. These 'small war bands' in the south have now turned into a 'big force'; but 'most of the force' that attacked Colchester have already returned home?
(12-01-2018, 11:41 PM)John1 Wrote: gave Paulinus the opportunity to threaten an advance into Iceni territory
So why wouldn't the Iceni wait for him to do that, rather than conveniently walking into his trap? Threatening Iceni territory is only useful if the bulk of the Iceni army are elsewhere (ie London or Colchester) and Paulinus can menace their undefended homes and lands.
Nathan Ross