Battle of Watling Street

Battle of Watling Street is a Major battle that was fought between the British Led by their Queen Boudica and the Roman Legion Army. Fought in the year AD 60- 61, it is a major contribution years after the Battle of Medway which Established the Dominion of Roman Rule over the Celtic people, though they have been a small uprising, the Battle of Watling Street is the largest uprising by the Celtic people against the Roman. The battle of Watling Street depicts the superiority of a small number army with discipline and tactics over a large Army portraying the battle Of Guagamela which was fought by the Persians led by Darius, King of Persian and Alexander the Great the King of Macedon

Background 

Roman governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was intent on conquering the Welsh island of Anglesey in AD 60. After spending two years governing Britain, Paulinus assembled an army on the Welsh border and marched through the mountains toward northwest Wales.

Paulinus’ task force consisted of the 14th Gemina Legion along with auxiliary cohorts of Batavian light infantry, who had fought alongside the 14th for decades. It also included the renowned Batavian Horse cavalry and other mounted units.

The ambitious Paulinus came to Britain with a strong military reputation to uphold. Back in AD 42, he had defeated rebellious Moors in Mauretania. According to the historian Tacitus, this “hard-working and sensible officer” aimed to use his new British posting to challenge General Corbulo’stitle as the Roman Empire’s top soldier. Corbulo had recently recovered Armenia in the East for Rome.

So Paulinus marched on Anglesey, intent on conquest that would secure his military fame and surpass Corbulo’s achievements. His experienced army of legionaries and auxiliaries was ready for the task ahead.

Roman governor Paulinus recognized that Druidism was a unifying force among the various British tribes. Druid priests educated the children of British nobles, some of whom later became priests themselves while others became tribal leaders. All the tribes prayed to the same Celtic gods for power against their enemies. Due to its subversive potential, Augustus banned Roman citizens from practising Druidism and Claudius outlawed it throughout the empire. The Druids’ religious centre was on Anglesey, called Mona Insula by the Romans. Paulinus was determined to seize Mona and extinguish this illegal cult, eliminating the heart of British resistance.

During the winter, legionaries of the 14th Gemina built small, collapsible flat-bottomed boats for river and coastal operations. These were carried overland and used at each river as the task force advanced through north Wales from their base at Deva (modern Chester). They had to cross several major rivers like the Dee, Clwyd and Conway. Upon reaching the Menai Strait, the Roman force launched their boats again and began crossing to Anglesey. The infantry rowed themselves across, some cavalry found a shallow ford, and Batavian squadrons swam their horses over.

Celtic warriors of the Deceangli, Ordovice and Silure tribes formed up on Anglesey’s southeast shore, awaiting the Roman landing. As legionaries disembarked, frenzied women rushed through the Celtic ranks. Dressed in black with dishevelled hair, they waved flaming torches and shrieked wildly. Druid priests raised their hands heavenward, calling down their gods’ wrath.

These witches’ bizarre antics stunned the superstitious legionaries. They froze, not even raising shields to protect themselves. Paulinus had to spur them to action, asking if they feared women. Without waiting for the cavalry, legionaries charged, cutting down warriors and witches. Soon Celtic bodies burned in pyres, overwhelmed by Roman discipline.

After securing Anglesey, Roman troops spread across the island locating Druid sacred groves where human sacrifices supposedly occurred, rounding up prisoners. But just as General Paulinus was congratulating himself, urgent messages arrived from eastern Britain – tribes there had revolted.

Paulinus ordered preparations to march east. A year prior, King Prasutagus of the Iceni tribe in Norfolk had died. To preserve his kingdom for his family, he left his territory jointly with his daughters and Emperor Nero. This was meant to maintain family control with Roman protection. But the plan backfired.

Roman procurator Decianus Catus took Prasutagus’ will literally. His men ransacked nobles’ homes in the king’s name. At the late king’s villa, slaves raped his virgin daughters and, when the queen objected, stripped and whipped her. Queen Boudicca, Prasutagus’ young wife, swore revenge in the name of Andraste, the Iceni goddess of war.

According to Cassius Dio, there was another financial cause of discontent. Wealthy Roman Secretary Seneca had loaned the tribes 40 million sesterces and then abruptly called in repayment. Dio said Seneca used “severe measures” to extract the money.

Insult continued as Camulodunum veterans evicted Britons from houses and farms. Boudicca and furious nobles secretly conspired against their Roman masters, recruiting the Trinovantes tribe into their plot.

Thoughts in the tribes turned to rebellion. Instead of planting crops, tribesmen made weapons, intending to raid Roman granaries once the revolt began. They elected Boudicca as war queen and timed the uprising for the summer of AD 60 when the governor and troops were away.

The revolt first struck Camulodunum, home to many Roman settlers. As Iceni came down from the north and Trinovantes up from the south, 120,000 rebels swarmed the city, killing indiscriminately. Desperate townspeople sent pleas for help – some to the southwest at Londinium (London), others northwest to the 9th Hispana Legion base at modern Longthorpe.

According to Tacitus, Camulodunum had only a small military presence. Archaeological evidence shows two camps still operated – the main legion camp, now downsized, and a full-size cavalry camp occupied until AD 71.

Auxiliaries combined with legion veterans who hurriedly assembled civilians at the massive Temple of Claudius. They decided to defend it. Thousands of terrified citizens joined them in the temple basement. From Londinium, Procurator Catus, who helped provoke the revolt, sent just 200 poorly-armed men before escaping by ship.

The temple was surrounded. For two days the veterans held out until rebel collaborators inside gave access. Boudicca’s warriors flooded in, overwhelming defenders. At Longthorpe, 9th Hispana commander Cerialis quickly mustered a relief force. Leaving a cohort to garrison the fort, he set off with 2,000 men. Marching at infantry speed, they were still days away when Camulodunum fell.

The rebels plundered and burned the city, torturing and killing thousands of Romans in horrific ways described by Tacitus and Dio. The massacre at Camulodunum was complete. Soon the rebel army set off for Londinium.

Approaching Camulodunum, the 9th Hispana relief column led by legate Cerialis was ambushed and routed by rebels, losing all 2,000 infantry. As Tacitus wrote, Cerialis escaped with some cavalry to “the camp”, likely the smaller cavalry fort at Camulodunum since the rebels were focused on plunder over sieges.

From Wales, Governor Suetonius Paulinus hurried east with his Anglesey force, leaving some auxiliaries behind. Messengers summoned reinforcements, some riding southwest to the 2nd Augusta Legion base.

Paulinus had to weigh troop options carefully. The 9th Hispana was crippled by Cerialis. Removing more forces from northern forts could allow tribes there to join the revolt. Withdrawing the 20th Legion in the west might leave his rear exposed to the Silures while dealing with Boudicca.

Tacitus states Paulinus assembled the 14th Legion, 20th Legion veterans, and local auxiliaries – around 10,000 men total. The 20th veterans were likely retired soldiers recalled to duty, leaving the legion itself on the western frontier. Shockingly, the 2nd Augusta camp prefect ignored orders to send the legion.

Paulinus met 2,500 veterans of the 20th en route. With the 5,000-strong 14th Legion, the 20th veterans, 2,000 auxiliaries and 500 cavalries, his force totalled 10,000 – far fewer than the 100,000+ rebels reported. This small army was all Paulinus had to face Boudicca.

The Battle of Watling

Paulinus hurried to Londinium, where a wooden bridge now spanned the winding Tamesa (Thames) River on the site of today’s London Bridge. A settlement had grown north of the bridge, with Gracechurch Street tracing the original Roman road up to Cornhill, the hub with today’s Bank of England at its centre. By AD 60 settlement spread west to the hill now occupied by St Paul’s Cathedral. The basilica meeting hall stood near today’s Leadenhall Market.

In peaceful times the riverbank was crowded with trade ships, but now the docks were deserted as panicked citizens begged Paulinus to defend them. Knowing his forces were too few, he offered evacuation but would not defend Londinium. Thousands of refugees joined his column as he retreated north through Verulamium (St Albans), accepting more civilians.

Boudicca and tens of thousands of warriors descended on undefended Londinium, slaughtering all and burning everything after looting. Verulamium suffered the same fate before the rebels set off in pursuit of Paulinus, leaving both cities in ashes and corpses. In weeks, three major Roman towns were destroyed and 80,000 were killed. Tacitus noted the Britons took no prisoners to sell as slaves – to him, poor business sense.

Reaching Warwickshire, with the 2nd Augusta disobeying his orders to join him, Paulinus knew retreat would cede control of much of the province. Despite being vastly outnumbered, he decided to stand and fight the rebels, vowing victory or death.

The battle likely took place near modern Mancetter on Watling Street, named for the British chariot force. Halting his column, Paulinus sent refugees away and scouted a site near the Anker River. The Romans formed up as Boudicca’s now 230,000-strong horde approached Watling Street from the south – the largest force ever seen in Britain.

Paulinus arrayed his troops in three wedges – the 14th Legion and 20th veterans in the narrow centre, auxiliaries on the flanks, and cavalry on the wings, all in close order. The Britons had masses of infantry and chariots surrounding them. It was a tiny island of discipline amidst a sea of tribesmen

The confident rebels parked wagons laden with plunder behind their lines, so their families could watch the anticipated victory. One side worarmouran armour and helmets, the other only shields and no protection. The Britons carried long oak shields and fraframedears, some had captured Roman weapons, and they had war chariots – small, light, open-backed, with tiny ponies.

Boudicca appeared in a chariot with flowing hair, rallying the tribes and urging them to die rather than live under Rome’s rule. She reminded them of their victory over the 9th Legion, saying the rest of the Romans planned to flee and they should show them they were dogs and foxes trying to rule over wolves.

Against twenty-three-to-one odds, most Romans just thought of survival. The teenage tribune Agricola said they had to fight for their lives before thinking of victory. But Paulinus was confident, telling troops to discharge javelins and then continue the bloody work with shields and swords.

The chariots charged, hurling spears met by Roman javelins felling horses and passengers. The chariots swung away, allowing the British infantry to advance. At first the 14th Legion held firm. Then trumpets sounded “Charge!” and all three wedges roared forward into the enemy mass. Shields pumping and swords jabbing, the wedges acted as machines. On the flanks, Roman cavalry also engaged the tribesmen.

According to Dio, Romans and Britons contended fiercely for a long time, both sides filled with zeal and daring. But finally, late in the day, the Romans prevailed. Retreating Britons created a crush against their wagon circle, trapping tens of thousands to be cut down by legionaries. The immense slaughter included British women and baggage animals too. The total number of Roman dead was around 400, with similar wounded.

Aftermath 

Ironically, Britain’s deadliest battle went unnamed – perhaps the Battle of Watling Street. Boudicca escaped but poisoned herself days later per Tacitus. Dio wrote the Britons mourned her deeply. In disgrace, the 2nd Augusta camp prefect Postumus fell on his sword for disobeying orders.

Rome rushed reinforcements – auxiliaries, cavalry and, uniquely, 2,000 legionaries detached from a Rhine legion to replace 9th Hispana losses, likely recruits from the 21st Rapax. The Rapax seemed under-strength for years after, suggesting the detachment was never replaced.

Stung by the revolt’s destruction, Governor Paulinus kept troops in the field all winter, hunting rebel fugitives to extinguish the last fires of the revolt. But adviser Classicanus said unrest would continue under vengeful Paulinus. In late 61, he was replaced by Turpilianus. Despite this, Nero awarded Paulinus triumphal decorations for his victory, and the 14th Gemina earned a reputation as Nero’s “most effective” troops for crushing the rebellion. Major tribal uprisings in southern Britain were over.