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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
Quote:I have a horrible feeling that we are underestimating these people.
Probably. But we shouldn't assume the Britons shared our modern map-based understanding of geography. Their navigation would rely more on local knowledge and trusted guides. Perhaps superior in some ways ( a close familiarity with the lie of the land), but it would have made accurate strategic planning difficult.

Caesar had the same problem - there was an excellent online article about it called 'Stumbling through Gaul', once upon a time, but it's since disappeared :-(

Quote:"The vexillarii or vexilla legionum, then, were those soldiers who, after having served in the legion for sixteen years, became exauctorati, but continued to serve in a company with that legion, under a vexillum of their own, until they received their full discharge."
Seems you're right! We'd need a latinist to tell us whether vexillariis were always veterans, or could just be soldiers detached under a vexillum.
Nathan Ross
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Nathan wrote:

Caesar had the same problem - there was an excellent online article about it called 'Stumbling through Gaul', once upon a time, but it's since disappeared


that would have made some excellent reading - even copies of it have gone too!

Whilst trawling I came across a vague reference that Godmanchester was also burned at around this time (and of course it has been put down to Boudica). Any one have any knowledge of this? (it doesn't have to be first hand Confusedmile: )
Deryk
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Nathan wrote:

Probably. But we shouldn't assume the Britons shared our modern map-based understanding of geography. Their navigation would rely more on local knowledge and trusted guides. Perhaps superior in some ways ( a close familiarity with the lie of the land), but it would have made accurate strategic planning difficult.

This is a very interesting statement.

Would this have put the Romans at a disadvantage as one would have expected that the locals would have a far better understanding of the land.

Is this also the reason that we keep looking for the battle site near a Roman Road?
Deryk
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Quote:Is this also the reason that we keep looking for the battle site near a Roman Road?
Most battlefields in England, Wales, and southern Scotland in the post-Roman period are on or near Roman roads; it is not until the Civil Wars that this really starts to change (much on this in my forthcoming book :-D ).

Quote:We'd need a latinist to tell us whether vexillariis were always veterans, or could just be soldiers detached under a vexillum.
Well, this archaeologist can tell you that any detachment marching under a vexillum tends to be known as a vexillatio. I suspect you may be thinking of evocati, who are a whole different kettle of fish (but could still be a vexillatio). The detachments of legionaries at Corbridge were vexillationes from two legions and make the point nicely by depicting their vexillus (sic!).

Mike Bishop
You know my method. It is founded upon the observance of trifles

Blogging, tweeting, and mapping Hadrian\'s Wall... because it\'s there
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Quote:any detachment marching under a vexillum tends to be known as a vexillatio.
That's as I understand it, yes. But I was referring to the quote from Smith's Dictionary (above, in red) which implies that vexillariis were distinct from a simple vexillatio, and comprised veterans (evocati, as you say, or exauctorari, which I presume means the same thing)... :-?
Nathan Ross
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The Temple and priesthood of Claudius must have started in around AD54 / AD55.

I understand that the money required to build the Temple was raised on the back of some of the Brythonic aristocracy and this was one of the problems that caused the uprising of the Trinovantes.

Does anyone know if it was more than just the Trinovantes who had to contribute for the honour of belonging to the priesthhood of Claudius?
Deryk
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Hi John / Nathan / Steve

Regarding Savernake Forest / Cunetio.

This document which is from National Mapping you may find interesting as it refers to a Claudian Roman Fort, numerous roads, support for Wiltshire having the greatest number of villas etc.

Far from this area being a backwater it seems that it was very important but over a number of years no doubt!

John, I gather that the burial mounds at Bartlow are dated to around AD90?

Kind Regards - Deryk
Deryk
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document missing?

no conclusion about the dates on the mounds at Bartlow, one at least later than AD 90. If they pre-date AD60 we can write them off, but if they post date there is a pretty broad range of dates for raising memorials; after the event, at the death of the surviving combatants, or even by their grand children.

The extant mounds are quite spectacular and well worth a detour but only three remain of the original group of at least 8 (nine would have been better)so who knows what is lost.
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Hi John

Totally agree - I will make the effort to see them.....

I have tried to add the file - again :oops:



or this web link might work:

http://services.english-heritage.org.uk/...09_WEB.pdf

Kind Regards - Deryk
Deryk
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Quote:or this web link might work

Thanks, Deryk - interesting report. Looks like you have your Claudian fort at Upper Cunetio, and therefore road(s)... And if I were you I'd be interested in the 'polygonal temple enclosure' (p.21) nearby - possible victory monument? :wink:


Quote:the mounds at Bartlow... If they pre-date AD60 we can write them off, but if they post date there is a pretty broad range of dates for raising memorials

I think the mounds might be write-off-able anyway, I'm afraid! Romans practiced cremation until the mid 2nd-C, and particularly with a large number of battle dead mound-building is out. More likely they were raised by the Romanised British local aristocracy.

btw, you're slacking, John - your post was 151 words! Confusedhock: Confusedmile:
Nathan Ross
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point taken, edit in place.

not a conclusive write off, needs no bodies, see Butte de Lion. Aristocracy is the obvious and accepted answer, it is nominated merely as an anomalous memorial in the right area.I think we can agree it is anomalous and in the right area. If we lean on the current interpretations this discourse is futile, well it is anyway, but it would certainly kill my motivation.

w/c 70
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Quote:Regarding Savernake Forest / Cunetio.

Far from this area being a backwater it seems that it was very important
Since I live just down the road, that probably goes without saying ;-)

Mike Bishop
You know my method. It is founded upon the observance of trifles

Blogging, tweeting, and mapping Hadrian\'s Wall... because it\'s there
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The EH report obviously leads to the question;

are there any Lidar sets available to the public?

does anyone have any experience of getting hold of pre-existing data sets for LIDAR
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Quote:does anyone have any experience of getting hold of pre-existing data sets for LIDAR
Depends what they were done for. I obtained the Environment Agency lidar survey for Corbridge some years ago just by asking, but I suspect the EH survey of Savernake was a special commission undertaken for archaeological purposes, in which case the obvious place to start would be the English Heritage Archive (formerly the National Monument Record) in Swindon (so coincidentally not far from the aforementioned forest). As a public body, EH will presumably grant access for research purposes, but don't quote me on that.

There is early military equipment from Mildenhall, by the way.

Mike Bishop
You know my method. It is founded upon the observance of trifles

Blogging, tweeting, and mapping Hadrian\'s Wall... because it\'s there
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mcbishop wrote

There is early military equipment from Mildenhall, by the way

Hi Mike - could you be more expansive about the military equipment please?

Kind Regards - Deryk
Deryk
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