02-17-2012, 11:13 PM
Quote:The problem with the south-east route is that taking it would have separated Paulinus even further from any hope of reinforcement. If the rebels were to move behind him, he would have been cut off from it altogether. There may well have been some troops in the south-east but they are unlikely to have been there in appreciable numbers. According to Tacitus, Paulinus' combined force amounted to 10,000 men, whereas some estimates placed the number of Britons killed in the battle as high as 80,000. Even if this figure is grossly exaggerated, it seems more than likely that the Romans were greatly outnumbered. Tacitus implies as much in the speech that he gives to Paulinus before the battle. As a prudent commander, he would ideally have wanted to gather as many men as possible before facing the enemy.John1 post=307008 Wrote:ok ok consider the towel thrown in from my end, the west winsWithout the south-east option even being seriously considered hock:
Mike Bishop
He had part of legio XX with him; the remainder was probably holding North Wales. If he were prepared to abandon the conquests there and bring the rest of the legion south, it would have had a highly hazardous march down through hostile country and rebellious natives, if it were to join him south of the Thames. IX Hispana had been badly mauled and, if there were any elements still capable of assisting, it would have been virtually impossible for them to get to him through a vast expanse of hostile territory and across the Thames. The one substantial source of reinforcement available to him was legio II and he would have wished to maintain contact with it at almost any cost. This would not have been achieved by marching away from it into the south-east. He would have preferred, I suggest, to move towards it.
Michael King Macdona
And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)