Roman Military Tactics and Challenges

Initial Conflict and Roman Difficulties

• The Britons, aware of Roman plans, deployed cavalry and chariots to prevent the Roman landing
• These chariots were frequently used by the Britons in battle
• The Britons' remaining forces followed, further hindering the Roman landing
• The size of Roman ships meant they could only anchor in deep water
• Roman soldiers faced challenges fighting in unfamiliar territory with encumbered hands and heavy armor
• Soldiers had to jump into waves while fighting enemies
• The Britons were able to fight from dry land or shallow water with unburdened limbs
• The Britons were familiar with the terrain and boldly threw spears and spurred on trained horses
• These factors terrified the Romans and made them unable to fight effectively
• The Romans were inexperienced with this style of battle
• The Romans could not fight with the same energy they usually fought ground battles with

Caesar's Response and Roman Advances

• Caesar ordered warships to move away from the transport ships to flank the enemy
• The warships attacked with slings, arrows, and artillery
• The warships' unfamiliar appearance, oar movement, and artillery shocked and halted the Britons
• The Britons retreated slightly
• The Roman soldiers hesitated, intimidated by the sea's depth
• An aquilifer of the 10th legion urged his comrades not to betray their eagle to the enemy
• The aquilifer jumped into the sea and advanced towards the enemy, carrying the eagle.
• Inspired, the Roman soldiers jumped from the ships
• Soldiers from nearby ships followed advancing on the Britons

Continued Fighting and Roman Reinforcements

• Fierce fighting occurred on both sides
• The Romans struggled because they could not maintain ranks, stand firm, or follow standards
• Soldiers joined whatever standard they encountered, causing confusion
• The Britons knew the shallows and attacked individual Romans disembarking
• The Britons used their horses to attack encumbered Romans
• Many Britons surrounded smaller groups of Romans
• Some Britons threw spears at the Romans from the open flank
• Caesar deployed rowboats and scouting vessels filled with soldiers to assist struggling troops
• The Roman soldiers attacked and routed the Britons upon reaching dry land
• The cavalry was unable to pursue and capture the island
• Caesar's usual good fortune was lacking due to the inability to fully capitalize on his victory

British Surrender and Initial Peace

• The defeated Britons sent ambassadors to Caesar to negotiate peace
• The Britons promised to provide hostages and fulfill Caesar's demands
• Commius Atrebas, previously sent by Caesar to Britain, returned with the envoys
• The Britons admitted to seizing and imprisoning Commius, blaming the act on the common people
• They asked for forgiveness for their imprudence
• Caesar rebuked them for initiating war after seeking peace but offered forgiveness for their imprudence
• Caesar demanded hostages, part of whom they provided immediately
• The Britons promised the remaining hostages would arrive in a few days from farther away
• The Britons ordered their people to return to their fields
• British leaders began to gather and pledge allegiance to Caesar

Setbacks and Storms

• Peace was consolidated
• Four days later, the 18 ships transporting cavalry set sail from the upper port with a gentle wind
• As they approached Britain and were visible from the camp, a storm erupted
• The ships were scattered; some returned to their point of origin, others were driven towards the western part of the island
• The ships were battered and filled with waves despite attempts to anchor
• Adversity forced ships to seek the continent

Lunar Tides and Naval Disaster

• A full moon coincided with the disaster
• The full moon usually causes large sea tides
• The phenomenon was unknown to the Romans
• The ships Caesar had beached, were flooded by the tide
• Storms battered transport ships still at anchor
• The Romans were unable to manage or assist
• Many ships were wrecked, and the remaining ships lost gear
• The events caused widespread chaos throughout the army
• There were not enough ships to carry the entire Roman force back to the continent
• Essential resources to repair the fleet were lacking
• There were not enough supplies for the army to survive the winter

British Rebellion and Strategy

• British leaders recognized the Roman army's weaknesses: lack of cavalry, ships, and grain
• The small size of the Roman camp revealed the Roman army's limited numbers
• The British concluded that rebellion was the best course of action
• They planned to cut off Roman access to grain and prolong the conflict into the winter
• The British were confident that preventing reinforcements from crossing into Britain
• The Britons would effectively deter future invasions
• A new conspiracy was formed
• The Britons began to withdraw from the Roman camp and secretly recalled their forces from the fields

Caesar's Preparedness

• Although Caesar had not yet discovered the Britons' plans, he suspected a change in their behavior
• Caesar's suspicions were based on recent naval incidents and the cessation of hostage deliveries
• Caesar prepared for any eventuality
• Daily, he requisitioned grain from the fields into the camp
• He used materials from the most severely damaged ships to repair others
• Further resources were requested from the continent
• With the army's dedicated efforts, the Roman army was able to repair enough ships
• Although 12 ships were lost, the Roman fleet could still be used

Ambush and Initial Roman Struggles

• A legion sent to forage (the 7th legion) faced an ambush
• The 7th legion was targeted while gathering grain, with no prior indication of conflict
• Part of the legion was in the fields while others returned to camp
• A large dust cloud was spotted coming from the direction the legion was marching
• Caesar suspected the Britons planned a surprise attack
• Caesar ordered nearby cohorts to march to the legion
• The remaining cohorts were ordered to guard the camp while the rest were to arm themselves and follow Caesar
• Caesar found his men under pressure from the enemy
• The legion was packed together which made them an easy target to throw spears at
• The Britons had been hiding in the woods at night
• The Britons attacked the Romans while they were scattered and unarmed
• They killed some of the Romans and threw their ranks into disorder
• The Britons used cavalry and chariots to surround the legion

British Chariot Warfare Tactics

• The Britons' chariot tactics involved riding through all parts of the battlefield and throwing spears
• The Britons relied on the terror caused by the horses and the noise of the wheels to disrupt enemy lines
• Dismounting from the chariots, the warriors fought on foot after penetrating enemy lines
• Charioteers would gradually withdraw from battle
• If foot soldiers were pressed too hard, they used their chariots as a quick escape
• British charioteers were trained to ride horses on steep slopes, quickly control and turn horses
• They could quickly run along the pole, stand on the yoke and quickly jump back into the chariots

Roman Rescue and Subsequent Events

• Caesar's intervention provided timely assistance to the Romans
• Roman soldiers regained their composure
• Caesar chose not to pursue the enemy
• The Roman army returned to camp
• All of the remaining soldiers in the fields had already departed
• Several days of storms confined both the Romans and Britons
• The Britons sent messengers throughout to rally support
• The Britons proclaimed the small number of Roman soldiers to their people providing an opportunity to seize plunder
• The Britons rallied a large force of infantry and cavalry and advanced on the Roman camp

Roman Defense and British Defeat

• Aware the Britons will likely flee if defeated
• Caesar deployed the legions in a battle line before the camp, supported by 30 cavalry
• Commius Atrebas provided the cavalry
• The Britons were unable to withstand the Roman assault
• The Britons retreated
• The Romans pursued as far as possible
• After setting fire to the surrounding buildings, the Romans retreated to their camp

British Envoys and the End of Hostilities

• The British sent envoys to Caesar to discuss peace