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Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand.

Nathan Ross wrote:

But Cogidubnus and his Regni apparently didn't join the rebellion (and neither did the other tribes in the south west), so perhaps it wasn't so appealing to the vast mass of Britons...

Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes and Cogidubnus of the Atrebates and later also the Regni, were both in charge of Client Kingdoms and both totally relied on Roman support to remain in power so it is highly unlikely that they would have joined in the uprising and the part of the Brigantes that was disaffected with Rome under Venutius was probably garrisoned by half of the Ninth.

The Belgae and the Durortriges appear also to be subservient to Rome after the early conquests by the 2nd under Vespasian as were the Cantiaci since AD43 but Tacitus does mention that other tribes “not yet broken by servitude” did join with the Iceni and the Trinovantes possibly the Northern Dobunni, parts of the Catavellauni, the Coritani, the Dumnonii, and the Cornovii.

Nathan wrote:

....we do know that Paulinus had been campaigning in North Wales, and the Welsh border was the main battle area of the day. So he probably had his main army supply base at or around Wroxeter, and his legions based between there and Gloucester, perhaps. We don't know where II Augusta was either - but if Paulinus wanted them (or the 'veterans detachment' possibly commanded by Postumus) to join him in time for the battle, I would guess they weren't as far away as Exeter.

The idea that Paulinus called on the veterans of the 2nd (possibly based at Usk or Monmouth or Gloucester) rather than the whole Legion is new to me although it would seem unusual to put the Camp Prefect,  Postumus, in charge of this group rather than part of the regular Legion.

The question here is where were the 2nd Legion or the 20th?

Some say that part of the 2nd were with Paulinus at Mona.

The only reason that it is assumed that part of the 2nd was with Paulinus is because Agricola was with Paulinus and it is thought that as he was assigned to the 2nd Legion, his commanding officer was also with Paulinus at the head of part of the 2nd because Postumus was left in charge of the Legionary base but the 2nd is never mentioned as being at Mona or any where else in the campaign only the 14th Legion and a detachment of the 20th. 

Could it not be that Agricola was seconded as a staff officer for the Mona campaign purely because of his ability which would be wasted on garrison duties or as experience to advance his career?

Were the 2nd and the 20th garrisoning South and Mid Wales, logistically large and rebellious and only recently subdued (but not completely  conquered for another 10 years) in a similar manner to the 9th garrisoning the Brigantes? 

It may have been standard policy to have a "mobile force" of half the Legion being able to respond to any rebellious outbreaks and to reinforce a beleagured outpost, whilst the rest of the Legion were still inhabiting garrison forts in the area. Perhaps the Legate of the 2nd was at a "Forward Base" in the region where trouble was to be expected and his skills were best suited.

Normally this would have been the best place for the commander to make tactical and strategic decisions whilst a Camp Prefect would support these decisions by the smooth running of the day to day operations and readiness of the men for battle.

In this case perhaps the strategic decision was too much for Postumus finding himself in a dichotomy, where by going to the aid of his Governor, he would leave his own colleagues and friends and commander at risk,  or at the least exposed, especially if the locals (Silures?) may have been exhibiting a warlike posture after hearing about the razing of Colchester.

Between a rock and a hard place and he perhaps supported his own legion over the Governor.....who had every right to expect that he took precedence.
Deryk
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Messages In This Thread
Re: Calling all armchair generals! - by Ensifer - 03-11-2010, 03:13 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-18-2012, 06:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 12:02 AM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 02:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 05:40 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 02-19-2012, 11:26 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 05:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 09:42 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-24-2012, 10:10 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:11 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 03:25 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-25-2012, 08:36 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-26-2012, 02:57 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 04-27-2012, 01:50 PM
Re: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by Steve Kaye - 08-05-2012, 02:24 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-07-2014, 02:18 PM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-08-2014, 01:50 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-11-2014, 02:03 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-18-2014, 07:54 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-20-2014, 02:37 AM
Calling all armchair generals! Boudica\'s Last Stand. - by antiochus - 11-25-2014, 08:29 AM
RE: Calling all armchair generals! Boudica's Last Stand. - by Theoderic - 12-09-2017, 07:46 PM

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