Boudicca\'s last battle

[Anonymous]

A local archaeologist suggests that Suetonius defeated Bouddica's forces near Rugby where the Avon crosses Watling St. He makes a good argument in his book "Tripontium" and having recently field walked the ridge where the battle is said to have taken place, it seems to be a better site than Mancetter.<br>
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Are there any experts, especially re-enactors, on legionary tactics out there who have views on the location and nature of the battle?<br>
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What was the nature of the Wedge mentioned by Tacitus?<br>
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What is the minimum area required by a legionary to fight effectively with sword and/or spear?<br>
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What was the effective range and penetration of slingshot and arrow at the time?<br>
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Do we know the composition of Suetonius' armies at the battle?<br>
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Cheers<br>
<br>
<p></p><i></i>

[Guest]

Salve,<br>
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A <i> cuneus</i> or wedge was an assault formation that could be either triangular (in the case of some cavalry formations) or an assault column. It was an offensive formation designed to break an enemy line by applying unequal pressure along the front.<br>
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The space for an individual legionary is variously reported as being 6 (Polybius) and three (Vegetius) foot in width and six (seven including one for the individual) foot in depth (both Polybius and Vegetius). The latter may be the depth required for throwing a javelin and it is thought, but not recorded that the ranks would close after the throwing weapons were expended. There may well have been different manners of drawing up forces depending on circumstances (terrain, enemy), varying between loose and close order. Infantry receiving heavy cavalry or infantry is reported by authors like Arrianus and Ammianus to deploy in dense formations while troops fighting in rugged terrain adopted more open an fluid formations, like the Pompeian forces with experience in Spain recorded in the Caesarian corpus.<br>
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The main accounts of the revolt are Tactius, <i> Annales</i> 14 (Latin text) and Cassius Dio 62, though only the former specifies any units (<i> quarta decima legio</i> and <i> vexillarii vicesimani</i>). The units mentioned there are sometimes supplemented in modern publications with guesstimates of which auxiliary units are thought or known to have been in Britain at the time.<br>
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A publication of interest:<br>
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Webster, G., <i> Boudica</i> (London 1993) 152p.<br>
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Regards,<br>
<br>
Sander van Dorst <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Thanks Sander. Have read Webster and am still not convinced by the Mancetter option. Am going up there today to have another look!<br>
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Cheers<br>
<br>
Kerry <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Take your metal detector with you <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

Any dectective buffs who wish to e-mail me for the reasons for the new suggested siting of Boudicca's Last Battle are welcome.<br>
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[email protected] <br>
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I'd welcome controvery1<br>
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Cheers<br>
<br>
Kerry<br>
<p></p><i></i>