Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.

[Owein Walker]

Why didn't the residents of London and/or St Albans simply leave without military support if the area was pro Roman and safe?

I'm sure a lot of them probably did! But many of the Roman inhabitants were merchants who had stock in warehouses, besides other property in the town, and would not have wanted to risk abandoning it, especially if they thought a Roman relief column was on its way. Such people were probably mightily pissed off when Suetonius decided to 'save the province at the cost of a single town'!

There may have been problems with the Catavellauni - possibly a pro-Trinovantes faction, bearing in mind their recent history. But there could have been similar problems with any other British tribe, so one direction out of London was not inherently safer than another (aside from northeast, or down the Thames to Gaul, obviously...)

But the fact that there were large numbers of people in London who had not already fled by the time Suetonius turned up does support the idea that the rebels were not exactly beating down the doors at this point, and that the Romans probably arrived there considerably ahead of Boudica's advance.

I agree with everything you have said, but I needed to make clear the Catuvellauni were not just onlookers. The fact the ditches\defences of the Wootton Hill enclosures were strengthened 50AD(against them), the previous royal marriage with the Trinovantes as well as giving them their kingdom back!,and being the leaders of the Britons against Julius Caesar, then of course Caratacus ! a thorn in their side.
The Catuvellauni would have positioned themselves to take power as soon as the opportunity arose.

The point "there could have been similar problems with any other tribe" may be true (if it's to escape south from London) but St Albans and London were IN Catuvellauni territory so the situations with other tribes seems irrelevant.

I have mentioned the Lunt fort, south of Coventry, and although it is easy to dispel it along with Mancetter, I don't think we should. It seems history has changed and it is no longer "where captured horses were retrained". Could it be a supply point for SP or the centre of command set up after the battle.(beyond the Catuvellauni).
Do you see my problem ? I have wealthy Traders\Potters from St Albans moving up Watling Street to set up in High Cross and Mancetter(before the battle?) as well as a possible command centre set up after the battle. I understand a lot of the pottery was used by the military, so it makes sense that they would move with(follow) them, but if the battle was much further south or west then surely the military base(Lunt fort) would be there too.

The thread can move quite fast.