The ambassadors claimed that the resistance the Roman’s faced were the “common people,” and promised reparations by offering further hostages.ĭays later, a storm surge in the English Channel forced the ships carrying Caesar’s Calvary to return to Gaul, whilst an unusually high tide caused the beached warships to fill with water, and wrecked several of his transports. I, for my part, will perform my duty to the commonwealth and my general” driving back the Britons to establish a beach head.Ĭaesar was approached yet again by ambassadors of the Britons, accompanied by Commius who had been imprisoned upon his arrival. The Romans hesitated to advance, but the standard bearer holding the eagle of the 10 th Legion exclaimed, “Leap, fellow soldiers, unless you wish to betray your eagle to the enemy. The Roman ships were too low in the water to land the troops, resulting in soldiers having to wade ashore whilst weighed down by heavy armour, all the while being attacked by the enemy from the shallows. After waiting in anchor for the remainder of the Roman fleet to arrive, they sailed seven miles to what is believed to be Pegwell Bay on the Isle of Thanet in Kent.Ĭaesars accounts state that “the barbarians, upon perceiving the design of the Romans, sent forward their cavalry and charioteers, a class of warriors of whom it is their practice to make great use in their battles, and following with the rest of their forces, endeavoured to prevent our men landing.” The fleet sailed for Dubris (Dover), however, upon reaching sight of the shoreline it was apparent that the Britons had planned to resist, and gathered a force of defenders to repel the Roman landing. The ambassadors returned to Britain along with Commius, king of the Belgae Atrebates to persuade as many nations as possible to embrace the “protection of the Roman people”, and apprise Britain’s inhabitants of the impending arrival of Roman forces to their shores.Ĭaesar gathered a fleet of eighty transport ships to carry up to two legions, numerous warships under a quaestor, and eighteen transports containing cavalry.
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