| Popis: |
Archaeological evidence is lacking for the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 AD. Cassius Dio wrote of the episode but omitted locational information during the combat stage except for references to the river Thames and Colchester. Consequently much effort has been expended in the use of circumstantial archaeological evidence and applied logic to propose numerous locations for the invasion-ground and the battles. This has resulted in two schools-of-thought: for invasion-grounds on either the coasts of Kent or Sussex. However, prior to the Romans reaching the Thames, Dio relates that a unit of the auxiliaries, the Keltoi, unexpectedly, as far as the British were concerned, swam another river while in full-armour. This event, the opening phase in a two-day battle adjacent to a river, eventually led to the withdrawal of the British force across the Thames. The goal described in this essay was to use this swimming episode to provide locational information for the two-day river battle and hence the most likely location for the invasion-ground. To that end, all the rivers existing in 43 AD in the southeast of England were reconstructed, the wadeability of rivers assessed, relative sea-level changes since 43 AD examined and tidal regimes determined. The conclusion is that only the river Medway required the Keltoi to swim across and that, consequently, the most likely location for the invasion-ground is on the coast of Kent. |
