The soldiers of Britain

[Anonymous]

Help!<br>
<br>
I am trying to track down some information on the British troops post Honorius withdrawal. I read a few months back about some archaeological evidence that alluded to a detachment of the soldiers of Britain being stationed somewhere on the French coast. The intriguing thing was the evidence was dated at least 50 years after the withdrawal, suggesting an effective fighting force remained in Britain after the armies had supposedly left.<br>
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For the life of me I cannot remember where I read this, although I think it was in a book by Guy de la Bedoyere. Could any point me in the right direction in regards to this???<br>
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[Robert Vermaat]

Hi Caius,<br>
<br>
I’m not sure which reference you refer to, but there are several indications of military units continuing in Britain ‘after Honorius’. However, none of these point to (part of) the army of Britain existing in full force.<br>
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If you’re looking for an archaeological reference, I think this is about pieces of equipment such as either belt sets or brooches which were possibly typical for British military, and which were also found on sites in modern France? Pieces in the Quoit Brooch style maybe?<br>
I’m not sure what was meant, but as it happens I’m translation an article from German into English about a similar subject: Horst Wolfgang Böhme: The End of Roman Rule in Britain and the Anglo-Saxon Settlement of England during the 5th century, 1986. The text is not yet ready, but the illustrations are, you can find them at [url=http://www.fectio.org.uk/groep/hwb/hwbindexfigures.htm" target="top]the Fectio website.[/url]<br>
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What may point to a survival of the military structure in Britain during the first half of the 5th century is the pattern of military or military-related objects. The distribution maps show that the pattern of these objects hardly differs between the 4th century and the first half of the 5th.<br>
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Other possibilities would be the reference by Sidonius Appolinaris to British soldiers coming to Gaul ‘by way of the ocean’ with a guy called Riothamus. But that’s history, not archaeology, even though the period would fit..<br>
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Anyone for other ideas? I’d really like to know what Guy de la Bedoyere was thinking of. Whatever the outcome, I really doubt that any unit could be kept for 60 years after Britain was loosened from the Empire.<br>
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Valete,<br>
Valerius/Robert <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Valerius<br>
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Thank you for the suggestions. I am pretty sure the evidence was archaeological rather than historical although the Sidonius Appolinaris quote could well have been used as part of the article. Curse my lack of short-term memory! I can remember after reading the piece making a note knowing only too well I would forget where I read it, unfortunately I put the note in that very same safe place car keys, passports and reminders about friends and families birthday/anniversary reminders are kept. I am sure my note will turn up moments after finding the article.<br>
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It looks like this weekend I shall be turning my library upside down looking for that evidence. If not a book by Guy it could well have been a review/article in the archaeological press so large folders full of dusty periodicals will be dusted down and searched through. A recent book/article arguing the existence of post Honorian troops and survival of a Roman military structure (and its subsequent lambasting by the archaeological community ) does seem to ring a bell.<br>
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Let us know when your translation of Böhme is complete as it looks fascinating. Thanks again for your suggestions, I will let you know if I track down the article.<br>
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Caius<br>
<p></p><i>Edited by: <A HREF=http://p200.ezboard.com/bromanarmytalk.showUserPublicProfile?gid=caiusmariusseverus>Caius Marius Severus</A> at: 6/30/04 8:52 am<br></i>