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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
(02-15-2018, 06:32 PM)Theoderic Wrote: Steve seems to judge narrowness at about 750 metres to 1200 metres... but then what defines the narrowness that forces people along between something that is too steep to walk along and how high is this?

Ha! Yes, ok, you've got me there - if there is 'narrowness' there must also be 'steepness' on either side! [Image: tongue.png]

I would guess a gap of c.1000 metres is about right. Paulinus had 10,000 men, probably about 8000 regular infantry - drawn up eight deep in close formation they would need a space of about that width. I would assume the cavalry and light infantry/archers etc would occupy the slopes or higher ground on the flanks.



(02-16-2018, 09:50 AM)Theoderic Wrote: he would be exposed at Tring because of the tribes to the North

Hmm, not sure. These 'tribes to the north' or 'hostile people of the Midlands' are often assumed in this debate, but we don't know if they existed. Similar to 'the Britons who defeated Cerialis' (aka 'Boudica's other army'!)...

Even if the Midlands were in a state of rebellion, I don't think we need assume there was any large scale rebel army in the field up there. And against a fully equipped Roman force of ten thousand men, including cavalry, any smaller bands of rebels would not offer much of a threat. So I don't think our theories should be informed by the possibilities of 'other' groups of Britons roaming about the place.

Tacitus's note about Paulinus 'making sure there were only enemies in front of him' I take to be a tactical and not a strategic move: he wanted to ensure that the vast rebel army had not outflanked him before taking up his position.
 

(02-16-2018, 09:50 AM)Theoderic Wrote: he could not use Akeman Street to get to Alchester

Alchester is only about 22 miles from Tring - a day's steady march - so if Paulinus thought he was in any danger from the surrounding area he would surely have made for the fortifications there, which were apparently large enough to contain his full force, rather than diverting southward into the Chilterns again.
Nathan Ross
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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 Nathan Ross - 02-16-2018, 12:30 PM

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