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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
Renatus wrote:


Tacitus uses the same terminology in both cases. However, in the Agricola he speaks of these stations in the early stages of the revolt, whereas in theAnnals he mentions them only after the sacking of London and Verulamium. I assume, therefore, that the Iceni attacked the posts in their own territory but, after that, avoided similar posts elsewhere and concentrated on plundering. Presumably, the Trinovantes did the same.

I think that is spot on.   

Renatus wrote:

I take the failure to plant in the spring as being a positive policy decision, realising that they were unlikely to be back in time for the harvest and not wanting to have unharvested crops rotting in the fields. Instead, should they return in time for winter planting, they relied upon having seized sufficient Roman foodstuffs to see them through

Nathan wrote:

What would they have done with all the seed grain they didn't sow? Could they have simply eaten it?

Renatus wrote:

That would surely be an act of desperation, although it could be what they ended up doing. Could they have stored it until they were ready to plant it?

They certainly could have stored it for many months but I think that between you, you have come up with a solution that fits.

As we agree that this was a planned uprising they would have realised that they would have needed provisions for the road. Most of their wheat would have to be left to feed their families so this may have meant that they had to take a certain amount from what they would normally have sown in the spring.

This would mean that there may have been some spring sowing but a limited amount perhaps enough to fool the Romans but have taken the rest with them on their quest.

Now if they arrived at Colchester around mid June they would not have harvested their crops but also neither would have the farms around Colchester and possibly the granaries were not as full as the Brythons expected (perhaps Roman supplies were also depleted as SP was short of food) and therefore there was not enough to replace what extra the  Horde used to feed themselves whilst on the march

This would mean that the summer harvest would have been limited with the winter wheat intact but with little spring wheat but their campaign did not deliver enough to make up the shortfall

It would have been unthinkable for them not to have planted their winter wheat but obviously the stocks would have been depleted over a period of months but it is likely that they had other crops which would have helped but SP running a "burnt earth" campaign destroying growing crops may have been the "final straw" as it were. 

The context of the famine was after Boudica’s final battle (probably in early AD62) so this is the first theory that fits the writings.

Renatus wrote:

The word for 'hard-pressing' (ἐγκείμενοι) derives from the verb ἔγκειμαι, one of the meanings of which is 'to press hard', esp. of troops pressing upon a defeated or retreating enemy. This seems spot-on for the situation.

Interesting!!!
Deryk
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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 Theoderic - 09-24-2016, 06:22 PM

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