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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
Topographically, that is very plausible. However, we do need to consider why Paulinus and Boudica would be in that area. I have made a case for the western route; now let's see if I can do the same for the northern.

If we leave aside the idea that Paulinus had rushed to London with a flying column and was retiring up Watling Street to resume contact with his main force, the only reason that I can see for his being in the Dunstable area would be that he intended to intercept the Iceni returning to their homeland. In doing so, he was liable to be cut off from legio II but this may have been a risk that he was prepared to take. We speak of that legion as if it were the complete unit but perhaps the reason for the apparent absence of the legate and the tribunus laticlavius was that the bulk of the legion had been part of Paulinus' campaigning force in North Wales and that Postumus had been left at the base fortress with just enough men to keep an eye on the south-western tribes - still a substantial force, perhaps, but nothing like as great as Paulinus could call down from the north, if circumstances compelled him to abandon his conquests on Anglesey and to recall his consolidating force to deal with Boudica.

How, however, could Paulinus guarantee that Boudica would return home when no crops had been planted and her people would have to face the winter without food? If he had ordered that the stocks of provisions in London were to be preserved and not burned, as might be expected, the rebels would have been able to gather as much as they wanted into their wagons and then follow their natural instinct to return to their homeland for the winter. A route via Watling Street and the Icknield Way has already been suggested. Paulinus could ensure that, in travelling north himself, he did not get too far ahead of Boudica's band, so that, if she made an unexpected change of direction, he would be able to give chase and overhaul her slower-moving column. His scouts could keep him informed of the enemy's movements. Such a strategy would lead to the final battle taking place somewhere between London and Dunstable and, in the scenario postulated by Nathan, Dunstable itself seems to be a possible site. Paulinus was prepared to sacrifice London and, it seems, Verulamium as well, if there was no suitable site between there and London. Of course, the town may have fallen beforehand.

What do you think? Does that make sense?
Michael King Macdona

And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
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Messages In This Thread
Re: Calling all armchair generals! - by Ensifer - 03-11-2010, 03:13 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-18-2012, 06:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 12:02 AM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 02:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 05:40 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 11:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Renatus - 04-23-2012, 09:54 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 05:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 09:42 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 10:10 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:25 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 08:36 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-26-2012, 02:57 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-27-2012, 01:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 08-05-2012, 02:24 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-07-2014, 02:18 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-08-2014, 01:50 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-11-2014, 02:03 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-18-2014, 07:54 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-20-2014, 02:37 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-25-2014, 08:29 AM

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