The Wrath of Boudicca
Page 31
Quintus Petillius Cerialis.
Petillius was in command of the Ninth Hispana, though when the Legion was defeated, he escaped the slaughter and in later years, went on to become a Governor of Britannia.
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Poenius Postumus
Poenius Postumus was the Praefectus Castrorum of the Second Augusta Legion at the time and though his aid was requested by Suetonnius, it seems the request was ignored. Subsequently, at the end of the campaign he committed suicide by falling on his sword, presumably in shame.
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The Final Battle
The exact location of the final battle is unknown though many believe it is somewhere along the Roman Road known today as Wattling Street.
Military numbers vary for the battle but it is generally agreed that Suetonnius had approximately ten thousand men under his command, made up from the Gemina, the remains of the Hispana, part of the Valeria Victrix and several vexillations (smaller units) from around the country.
Numbers for Boudicca’s army range from a hundred thousand to two hundred thousand and though we will never know the exact figure, it is agreed the Britannic army vastly outnumbered the Romans.
Despite this superiority, the narrowness of the carefully selected valley meant Boudicca could only deploy the same amount of men as the Romans at any one time and her numerical superiority was thus nullified. The Roman tactics and discipline won the day and when they turned the native army, Boudicca’s warriors were caught amongst their watching families and the carts they had brought to witness the anticipated victory. Tacitus reports that over eighty thousand Britons died that day compared to only four hundred Romans.
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Emperor Nero
Nero was the Emperor at the time and he seriously contemplated abandoning Britannia. If Boudicca had prevailed in the final battle, it is likely Roman occupation would have ended and our history would have been vastly different.
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More Books by K. M. Ashman
The India Sommers Mysteries
The Dead Virgins
The Treasures of Suleiman
The Mummies of the Reich
The Tomb Builders (Coming Soon)
The Roman Chronicles
Roman I – The Fall of Britannia
Roman II – The Rise of Caratacus
Roman III – The Wrath of Boudicca
Roman IV – Boudicca’s Daughters – (Coming Soon)
The Medieval Saga
Medieval I – Blood of the Cross
Medieval II – In Shadows of Kings
Medieval III – Sword of Liberty
Medieval IV – Ring of Steel (Coming Soon)
Novels
Savage Eden
The Last Citadel
Vampire
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Table of Contents
Other Books
Copyright
Foreword
Prologue The Lands of the Trinovantes Britannia 40 AD
Chapter One The Lands of the Silures 60 AD
Chapter Two The Lands of the Iceni Britannia - 60AD
Chapter Three The Lands of the Deceangli - 60 AD
Chapter Four The Lands of the Iceni
Chapter Five The Lands of the Silures
Chapter Six The Lands of the Iceni
Chapter Seven The Lands of the Deceangli
Chapter Eight The City of Camulodunum
Chapter Nine The Straits of Menai
Chapter Ten The Straits of Menai
Chapter Eleven The Lands of the Trinovantes
Chapter Twelve The Forests of the Trinovantes
Chapter Thirteen The Lands of the Trinovantes
Chapter Fourteen The Lands of the Iceni
Chapter Fifteen The Lands of the Catuvellauni
Chapter Sixteen The Lands of the Iceni
Chapter Seventeen Londinium
Chapter Eighteen Fifty miles North West of Londinium
Chapter Nineteen The Outskirts of Londinium
Chapter Twenty The Forests to the North of Londinium
Chapter Twenty One The Trading Town of Londinium.
Chapter Twenty Two The Gemina Fort
Chapter Twenty Three Verulamium
Chapter Twenty Four The Plains of the Trinovantes
Chapter Twenty Five The Valley of the Wolf
Chapter Twenty Six The Battle of Wattling Street
Chapter Twenty Seven The Fate of Britannia
Chapter Twenty Eight Resolution
Chapter Twenty Nine Legacy
Author’s Notes