Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.

[Renatus]

I have found it to be standard Roman policy to leave the veterans to garrison the fort, which can be found in the accounts of the many battles particularly the battle of Veii in 480 BC, and Pharsalus just to name two from the top of my head. It is an old tradition.

A variation on ancient practice: I like the sense of continuity.

I am of the opinion that the veterans of the 14th legion are not with Paulinus, but remained behind and garrisoned their fort. I think the 14th legion was Paulinus’ flying column and if the Romans are following their doctrine, the 14th should be accompanied by an ala. With the addition of the veterans of the XXth Paulinus had one complete legion.

I was speaking in purely legionary terms but I have no doubt that he had cavalry as well, at the very least for scouting and screening purposes. I wouldn't confine it to one ala, though, and I wouldn't rule out his having auxiliary infantry too.

I agree with the veterans of the Fourteenth remaining at base; I wasn't suggesting otherwise. However, when the extent of the revolt became apparent and, particularly, after the defeat of the Ninth, Paulinus had to raise as large an army as possible as quickly as possible. Hence my suggestion that he called up the veterans of his three campaigning legions. This explains the presence of the veterans of the Twentieth and the order to Postumus to bring up the element of the Second under his command. The veterans of the Fourteenth would simply have joined their parent legion and, accordingly, do not get a separate mention.

There needs to be a balance of experience within the fighting troops, so I wonder what the deciding factors were on who remained behind as the garrison. The oldest and the newest, perhaps?

An interesting idea. Perhaps he called up the most experienced (the veterans) and left the tyros at base, so that it was not completely abandoned. I pity their fate, though, if it had all gone wrong, although in that case everyone was doomed anyway.

I feel, however, that the true seriousness with which he regarded it was the fact of call-up of these veterans to aid the fighting force. From what Steven has said this is a serious change of doctrine which would have been the exception and not the rule.

For what it is worth, I agree.