RESISTANCE & REBELLION

Many tribes stood against the legions, putting up a fierce fight that made the Roman conquest of Britain far from a foregone conclusion

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Four legions were considered enough to conquer Britain, and this was probably the number decided under Caligula (r.37-41 CE). These were the legions 2nd Augusta, 9th Hispana, 14th Gemina and the 20th Valeria Victrix, drawn from other parts of the empire, including the Rhine frontier. Their availability suggests the long-standing planning involved in the invasion, because moving such units at short notice would’ve left a gap in the defence of a frontier. Supporting these legions was probably an equal number of auxiliary and supporting troops.

Many of our sources are frustratingly incomplete or they don’t give us all the information we would like. Suetonius names only one commander, Plautius, whereas Eutropius (writing 300 years later) mentions two: Plautius and Saturninus. We don’t know if there were two battle groups or anything about the invasion plan. It is possible there were two invasion axis points: one at Rutupiae, at the Isle of Thanet, and the other near Chichester in West Sussex. In later invasions of Britain (when it broke away from the empire), two invasion points were utilised.

The fort at Rutupiae (modern-day Richborough) seems to have been one landing point, and it still has the remains of a triumphal arch built to commemorate Claudius’ conquest. The invasion may also have used supplies and logistics put in place with client kings such as Togodumnus, king of the Catuvellauni tribe based at St Albans.