01-19-2002, 07:01 PM
Suo salutem!<br>
<br>
Hi one and all-- I have been perusing the posts on this board and am impressed with the depth of knowledge and insight I find here.<br>
<br>
I have a query for anyone out there who knows something about the campaigns of G. Julius Agricola in Britain. I have been studying Tacitus' account, and am a bit confused about his description of Agricola's campaign in North Wales, conducted immediately upon his arrival in Britain as governor.<br>
According to Tacitus, once the Romans reached the coast across from the isle of Anglesey, they found themselves ill-prepared to make the crossing. This seems unusual to me, considering it should have taken them at least two weeks to cross Wales to the coast - more than enough time to dispatch boats to the site. Tacitus claims that the haste with which the campaign was put together left them without boats, but the Romans had an entire fleet assigned specifically to Britain, the Classis Britannicus. Sounds like extremely bad planning, which is equally unlikely given Agricola's record of textbook generalship.<br>
<br>
Further, Tacitus goes on to say that Agricola ordered some of his men to discard their equipment and swim across to the island. Upon arriving, the inhabitants were so overwhelmed by their appearance that they at once surrendered.<br>
Again this seems unsupportable-- are we to believe that a group of unarmed men swimming up to the beach so cowed the natives that they were induced to give up their most sacred sanctuary (the island was a Druid stronghold) without a fight? Seems ridiculous, considering the stiff fanatical resistance the earlier governor Paulinus faced upon reaching the island.<br>
<br>
Any thoughts? Was this just Tacitus attempting to glorify Agricola (who was, after all, his father-in-law)?<br>
<br>
VALE<br>
<br>
R. Servilius<br>
(Sorry this was so long- I'll try to be more brief in future) <p></p><i></i>
<br>
Hi one and all-- I have been perusing the posts on this board and am impressed with the depth of knowledge and insight I find here.<br>
<br>
I have a query for anyone out there who knows something about the campaigns of G. Julius Agricola in Britain. I have been studying Tacitus' account, and am a bit confused about his description of Agricola's campaign in North Wales, conducted immediately upon his arrival in Britain as governor.<br>
According to Tacitus, once the Romans reached the coast across from the isle of Anglesey, they found themselves ill-prepared to make the crossing. This seems unusual to me, considering it should have taken them at least two weeks to cross Wales to the coast - more than enough time to dispatch boats to the site. Tacitus claims that the haste with which the campaign was put together left them without boats, but the Romans had an entire fleet assigned specifically to Britain, the Classis Britannicus. Sounds like extremely bad planning, which is equally unlikely given Agricola's record of textbook generalship.<br>
<br>
Further, Tacitus goes on to say that Agricola ordered some of his men to discard their equipment and swim across to the island. Upon arriving, the inhabitants were so overwhelmed by their appearance that they at once surrendered.<br>
Again this seems unsupportable-- are we to believe that a group of unarmed men swimming up to the beach so cowed the natives that they were induced to give up their most sacred sanctuary (the island was a Druid stronghold) without a fight? Seems ridiculous, considering the stiff fanatical resistance the earlier governor Paulinus faced upon reaching the island.<br>
<br>
Any thoughts? Was this just Tacitus attempting to glorify Agricola (who was, after all, his father-in-law)?<br>
<br>
VALE<br>
<br>
R. Servilius<br>
(Sorry this was so long- I'll try to be more brief in future) <p></p><i></i>
