Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.

[Nathan Ross]

Dunstable... has two distinct flaws. Although it is set in a valley setting it clearly does not fit the description of the sides being like a “rampart” and if the army was placed at this point with Dunstable behind it the Icknield Way is behind the Roman army and consequently Brythonic forces from Thetford etc. could have attacked from the rear and the position can be outflanked.

Tacitus does not mention 'ramparts' - that's a misleading translation, as we discussed before. He just talks about a steep place. The Dunstable position has steep sides, compared to the local topography.

There's no evidence that there were alternative British forces on the Iknield Way - Boudica's army seems to have kept together. They could have split up and sent a force circling around to the north-east, but if the Britons had the capability to make these sort of long-distance strategic flanking marches, any position in south-east England would be vulnerable.

Fifteen miles away from St Albans, Akeman Street crosses the Icknield Way at Tring, one of the main ancient roadways and a direct route into or from the Iceni territory.

Yes - that's the same position you outlined some time ago, right? I still think it looks good.