Why Didn't Boudicca Flank the Romans? (war, Egypt, Britain, general)

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Regarding Boudicca's last battle with Rome, why didn't she take the time to have axemen, spearmen, or other light infantry maneuver through the forest to the flanks of the Romans, in the same manner the soldiers of Germania would have done?

[6 FOOT 3]

Who knows as we can only speculate but General Suetonius found the perfect spot to back his two legions into along the Watling road as both his flank sides were guarded by heavy dense forest and i assume that Boudica with vastly superior numbers thought that just by shear force she could slam into then forwardly and overwhem the Romans but she was wrong as history records (Tacitus and Dio Cassius).

[Trotter67]

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

Who knows as we can only speculate but General Suetonius found the perfect spot to back his two legions into along the Watling road as both his flank sides were guarded by heavy dense forest and i assume that Boudica with vastly superior numbers thought that just by shear force she could slam into then forwardly and overwhem the Romans but she was wrong as history records.

You know more about my countries history than i do ..Kudos mate

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by Trotter67

You know more about my countries history than i do ..Kudos mate

LOL, well i love British history and also Roman history . I just wish that archaeologists could find the actual battle site but 60 A.D. is currently around 30 to 40 feet below ground so it's tough to locate.

[Trudy Rose]

Also, she was not Roman. That is, she did not have the military expertise they did after centuries of battles.. she was used to tribal confrontations..that she did as well as she did is amazing enough

[Antlered Chamataka]

I'm no fan of Boadicea

She was valiant but she joins the camp of Hannibal - brave, persevering losers lol.

Signed:
Antonius <well spoken like a true Roman at heart>

P.S: On a serious note, her initial success rests largely on Roman pride and negligence. They simply dismissed her for the barbarian she is and didn't feel the need to thump her exploits right away.

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

P.S: On a serious note, her initial success rests largely on Roman pride and negligence. They simply dismissed her for the barbarian she is and didn't feel the need to thump her exploits right away.

Exactly and infact when word of the uprising first reach Gen Suetonius on the Isla of Mona (Anglesey) where he was there putting down a Druid rebellion he scoffed at it when he heard that a woman was leading the rebellion as he must have thought how pathetic and weak they were however when he found out that Boudica had destroyed his entire 9th legion he then knew that he was dealing with an formidable enemy.

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by Trudy Rose

Also, she was not Roman. That is, she did not have the military expertise they did after centuries of battles.. she was used to tribal confrontations..that she did as well as she did is amazing enough

Well stated .

[Antlered Chamataka]

Originally Posted by 6 FOOT 3

Exactly and infact when word of the uprising first reach Gen Suetonius on the Isla of Mona (Anglesey) where he was there putting down a Druid rebellion he scoffed at it when he heard that a woman was leading the rebellion as he must have thought how pathetic and weak they were however when he found out that Boudica had destroyed his entire 9th legion he then knew that he was dealing with an formidable enemy.

The Republic had a different idea on combating barbarians, everyone was put down with an iron hand. Sulla, Caesar, Pompey and the like belong to this breed of Optimates and Populares and their military success rests largely on this 'shock and awe' ideology

With the advent of the Empire and the last contingent of barbarians, the Gauls, already forced into submission, the emperors grew really negligent of the barbarian menace. There were worthier opponents to fight and concentrate, like the Parthians, Egyptians, Persians, Numidians, Iberians and the like - strictly bent on imperial expansion.

Also, Augustus and his unparalleled governing also gave a lot of room for his ridiculous and insane successors like Caligula, Nero. You can't have an emperor like Nero and expect efficiency across the empire. If Claudius were around, Boadicea would have been mincemeat right away.

But this was good for Rome. The Flavians who followed suit rightly restarted Roman 'shock and awe'. Barbarian or no-barbarian, legionary brute force was re-adopted and they started taking even barbarians seriously. The later barbarians like the Goths or the Germanic tribes were more effective as a force that Boadicia would appear diminished

If not for the Flavians, the empire would have collapsed in the first century itself

[6 FOOT 3]

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

You can't have an emperor like Nero and expect efficiency across the empire. If Claudius were around, Boadicea would have been mincemeat right away.

A few observations here:

Firstly i thought Nero did about as good of a job as he could being emperor for when he first assumed power he went directly after the Parthinians who laid claim to some of the far eastern provinces as he sent his powerful General of the East Governor Corbulo to deal with them during the Roman/Parthinian War 58 a.d. - 63 a.d.

Secondly when the only provincial uprising in the west appeared in Wales he sent his powerful General of the West Governor Suetonius to crush it and while Suetonius was dealing with the Druids/Britons is when Boudica started her uprising some 350 miles to the east as Decianus the high adminstrator (Procurator) of Britain without Nero or Suetonius permission broke the peace treaty between Rome and the Iceni's as he had no authority to do that. We can only guess as to how Nero dealt with him later on .

As for Boudica, i wouldn't be to harsh on her as she wasn't an invading barbarian but only wanted to drive the Romans out of their homeland in the British Island as the Romans were the invaders some 100 years or so earlier when Julius Ceasar conquered the Brythonic Celtic tribes of southern Britain.

Interesting in that Nero sacked General Suetonius a year later after the famous battle against Boudica as he thought that Suetonius was to harsh on the Brythonic peoples of Britain.