Battle of the Medway
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Medway took place in 43 AD on the River Medway
in the lands of the Iron Age
tribe of the Cantiaci
, now the English
county of Kent
. It was an early battle in the Claudian invasion of Britain
, led by Aulus Plautius
.
and his brother Caratacus
of the Catuvellauni
tribe to fight them. After losing two initial skirmishes in eastern Kent, the natives gathered on the banks of a river further west to face the invaders.
At the same time, the Romans received the surrender of the Dobunni
tribe in western Britain. The Dobunni were subjects of the Catuvellauni and this diplomatic gain was likely a blow to native morale and manpower.
ic") swam across the river and attacked the natives' chariot
horses. In the chaos that followed, the bulk of the invasion force spearheaded by Legio II Augusta
under Vespasian
crossed the river, under the overall command of Titus Flavius Sabinus II. It seems the natives were taken by surprise at how fully armed legionaries were able to cross the river and Peter Salway states that even Dio seems taken aback. The Romans were unable to press home victory immediately and the first day of fighting ended without a result. During the second day, a daring attack led by Gnaeus Hosidius Geta
almost led to the Roman officer being captured. His troops retaliated however and put the Britons to flight. Geta was awarded a triumph for securing victory, a rare honour for someone who had not been consul
. Given the primary roles taken by Geta and Sabinus on different days it has been suggested by the historian Malcolm Todd that the Romans were operating as two, or possibly three, battle group
s.
Such a long battle was unusual in ancient warfare
and it is likely that the Romans had defeated a significant native force. The Britons fell back to the Thames
where they were afforded a greater strategic advantage.
, and the most well-travelled prehistoric trackway would have been the route of the later Pilgrims' Way
, which forded the Medway at Aylesford
. Other theories, however, note that the river is narrow enough at Aylesford not to pose significant difficulties in crossing, and place the battle closer to Rochester, where a large Iron Age settlement stood at the time. Further evidence of a more northern location is at Bredgar
, where a find of a hoard
of Roman coins from the period has been interpreted as a Roman officer's savings buried for safekeeping before a battle. This hoard could, however, post-date the battle by as much as 20 years. Possibly the Romans followed the future route of Watling Street
to the battle, although its role as a pre-Roman communications route is not certain.
River Medway
The River Medway, which is almost entirely in Kent, England, flows for from just inside the West Sussex border to the point where it enters the Thames Estuary....
in the lands of the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
tribe of the Cantiaci
Cantiaci
The Cantiaci or Cantii were a Celtic people living in Britain before the Roman conquest, and gave their name to a civitas of Roman Britain. They lived in the area now called Kent, in south-eastern England...
, now the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. It was an early battle in the Claudian invasion of Britain
Roman conquest of Britain
The Roman conquest of Britain was a gradual process, beginning effectively in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, whose general Aulus Plautius served as first governor of Britannia. Great Britain had already frequently been the target of invasions, planned and actual, by forces of the Roman Republic and...
, led by Aulus Plautius
Aulus Plautius
Aulus Plautius was a Roman politician and general of the mid-1st century. He began the Roman conquest of Britain in 43, and became the first governor of the new province, serving from 43 to 47.-Career:...
.
Build-up
On the news of the Roman landing, the British tribes united under the command of TogodumnusTogodumnus
Togodumnus was a historical king of the British Catuvellauni tribe at the time of the Roman conquest. He can probably be identified with the legendary British king Guiderius....
and his brother Caratacus
Caratacus
Caratacus was a first century British chieftain of the Catuvellauni tribe, who led the British resistance to the Roman conquest....
of the Catuvellauni
Catuvellauni
The Catuvellauni were a tribe or state of south-eastern Britain before the Roman conquest.The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their kings before the conquest can be traced through numismatic evidence and scattered references in classical histories. They are mentioned by Dio Cassius, who implies...
tribe to fight them. After losing two initial skirmishes in eastern Kent, the natives gathered on the banks of a river further west to face the invaders.
At the same time, the Romans received the surrender of the Dobunni
Dobunni
The Dobunni were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Isles prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. There are seven known references to the tribe in Roman histories and inscriptions. The latter part of the name possibly derives from Bune, a cup or vessel...
tribe in western Britain. The Dobunni were subjects of the Catuvellauni and this diplomatic gain was likely a blow to native morale and manpower.
Chronology
There was no bridge over the river and so a detachment of specially-trained Roman auxiliaries (described by the only historical source for the battle Cassius Dio as "CeltCelt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic") swam across the river and attacked the natives' chariot
Chariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
horses. In the chaos that followed, the bulk of the invasion force spearheaded by Legio II Augusta
Legio II Augusta
Legio secunda Augusta , was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in the 4th century...
under Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
crossed the river, under the overall command of Titus Flavius Sabinus II. It seems the natives were taken by surprise at how fully armed legionaries were able to cross the river and Peter Salway states that even Dio seems taken aback. The Romans were unable to press home victory immediately and the first day of fighting ended without a result. During the second day, a daring attack led by Gnaeus Hosidius Geta
Gnaeus Hosidius Geta
Gaius or Gnaeus Hosidius Geta was a Roman Senator and General who lived in the 1st century. Geta was a praetor some time before 42...
almost led to the Roman officer being captured. His troops retaliated however and put the Britons to flight. Geta was awarded a triumph for securing victory, a rare honour for someone who had not been consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
. Given the primary roles taken by Geta and Sabinus on different days it has been suggested by the historian Malcolm Todd that the Romans were operating as two, or possibly three, battle group
Battle group
Battle group may refer to:* Battlegroup , the basic building block of an army's fighting force* Battleship battle group, a battleship and its escorts* Carrier battle group, a carrier and its escorts...
s.
Such a long battle was unusual in ancient warfare
Ancient warfare
Ancient warfare is war as conducted from the beginnings of recorded history to the end of the ancient period. In Europe and the Near East, the end of antiquity is often equated with the fall of Rome in 476, and the wars of the Eastern Roman Empire Byzantium in its South Western Asian and North...
and it is likely that the Romans had defeated a significant native force. The Britons fell back to the Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
where they were afforded a greater strategic advantage.
Location
Dio does not in fact name the battle's location or even the river in question but its site is usually said to be on the Medway. The Romans would have made use of existing trackways as they moved west from RichboroughRichborough
Richborough is a settlement north of Sandwich on the east coast of the county of Kent, England. Richborough lies close to the Isle of Thanet....
, and the most well-travelled prehistoric trackway would have been the route of the later Pilgrims' Way
Pilgrims' Way
The Pilgrims' Way is the historic route supposed to have been taken by pilgrims from Winchester in Hampshire, England, to the shrine of Thomas Becket at Canterbury in Kent...
, which forded the Medway at Aylesford
Aylesford
Aylesford is a village and civil parish on the River Medway in Kent, 4 miles NW of Maidstone in England.Originally a small riverside settlement, the old village comprises around 60 houses, many of which were formerly shops. One pub, a Post Office and four small independent shops remain...
. Other theories, however, note that the river is narrow enough at Aylesford not to pose significant difficulties in crossing, and place the battle closer to Rochester, where a large Iron Age settlement stood at the time. Further evidence of a more northern location is at Bredgar
Bredgar
Bredgar is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Swale in Kent, England. The village lies some 4 miles to the southwest of Sittingbourne on the road between Tunstall and Hollingbourne...
, where a find of a hoard
Hoard
In archaeology, a hoard is a collection of valuable objects or artifacts, sometimes purposely buried in the ground. This would usually be with the intention of later recovery by the hoarder; hoarders sometimes died before retrieving the hoard, and these surviving hoards may be uncovered by...
of Roman coins from the period has been interpreted as a Roman officer's savings buried for safekeeping before a battle. This hoard could, however, post-date the battle by as much as 20 years. Possibly the Romans followed the future route of Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
to the battle, although its role as a pre-Roman communications route is not certain.