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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
(11-22-2015, 10:50 PM)Nathan Ross Wrote: The more I think about this, the more it seems that the three objectives you're discussing here - meeting up with western reinforcements, falling back on friendly natives and taking the refugees to safety - would be better served by pulling back west from London (again!).

Originally, I favoured the idea of a withdrawal westwards into the territory of the Atrebates and for Paulinus to stipulate a rallying point somewhere on the Fosse Way, along which his reinforcements from the south, west and north could reach him.  However, that was, I believe, when I thought that the entire Second Legion was at Exeter, albeit under the command of its praefectus castrorum.  Now that I think that all the legions except the Ninth were campaigning in Wales and that their bases, including Exeter, were manned only by the veterans, the western route seems less attractive.  If I am right in thinking that Paulinus would want to link up with his reinforcements as quickly as possible, the route along Akeman Street seems more plausible, as it would shorten the journey that the reinforcements would have to take to reach him.  It would also bring Verulamium into the picture.

(11-23-2015, 01:53 PM)Robert Vermaat Wrote: Has there ben any research about the extent of the defeat of Legio VIIII, as well as the place of the ambush?
And how would the succesful ambush of Cerialis have been a factor in the mind of the british as to the approach of Paulinus?

I am not aware of any specific research, although there are plenty of theories.  Unfortunately, we have even less information about the site of this encounter than we have of the final battle.  Presumably, it was somewhere to the north-west of Colchester, probably not too far from the town.  I don't think that there is anything in Tacitus' Latin to suggest that there was an ambush; that seems to be a modern idea.  I read it as a face-to-face encounter in which Cerialis' force was simply overwhelmed.  His infantry were slaughtered and he escaped himself with only his cavalry.  We are told that, after the suppression of the revolt, 2000 legionaries were transferred from the Continent and that this brought the Ninth up to strength.  This implies that Cerialis took only about half his legion for the relief of Colchester.  If Paulinus was reluctant to give battle with 10,000 men and was successful, probably, because he had the luxury of being able to choose a battle site that suited his limited numbers, it is easy to see why Cerialis' force in open ground would be no match for the vastly superior numbers of the enemy.  The probable effect of this success upon the minds of the rebels was to let them think that they were invincible and that Paulinus' force could be overcome with equal ease.
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 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
RE: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand. - by Renatus - 11-23-2015, 07:07 PM

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