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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.
Nathan wrote:
 
Both nice looking sites, although neither look like the sort of 'throat shaped' valley that I think we're looking for. But that's open to interpretation, as are so many things about this topic!
 
As you have said there are very few narrow valleys that fit the "throat" description and the dimensions needed without a river running through it and protected at the rear. 

In the area outside St Albans there are a number of valleys that look promising including the Bulbourne and the Gade but I have a preference for side valleys off the main ones  (Aldbury, Hastoe, Ivinghoe) but using the "throat" criteria (as we understand it) even they don't have an exact fit(which of course could be incorrect)
 
Having looked further along the Gade Valley there is another side valley at Frithsden that seems to reflect Tacitus' description of the "throat", also the hills from where the "wives" could watch,  also the natural blocking of the exits by the wagons near the small stream that becomes the river Gade.
 
The position for the Roman Army is at the end of a valley but is raised so that it allows for the protection of the valley and also allows for a downhill charge onto the plain.
 
To see if the valley is large enough to house the Roman Army, I have tried to use valid measurements (a cohort is 60 metres wide by 8 meters deep and the horse is grouped in units 20 meters wide by 15 meters deep)
 
I have used the approximate numbers and troops that Nathan has proposed and married them with the specifications of the 480 men in a cohort (60 men by 8 rows) and placed 2 cohorts deep to reflect the description which gives a line of men 16 rows deep
 
I have also placed the cohorts in serried ranks which allows for the wedge charge. 

The veterans are placed behind the external auxiliaries and the cavalry on the extreme wings (512 on each wing) -  all the horse are grouped into 30 horses.
 
The 120 cavalry are with SP and his command and the 360 horse from the Equitates are placed behind the infantry as re-inforcement.

The Roman Camp is in the valley behind the Army.
 
This is all surmise of course but it may be worth discussion…….



.pdf   FRITHSDEN Army Numbers.pdf (Size: 220.09 KB / Downloads: 19)


.pdf   FRITHSDEN.pdf (Size: 1.41 MB / Downloads: 17)
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 - 10-07-2018, 05:47 PM

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