Flashcards on The Roman Army and Britain
The Roman Army and Britain: Expeditions to Conquest Explained
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Roman Conquest of Britain
13 cards
Card 1
Question: Why did Julius Caesar initially decide to go to Britain in 55 BCE?
Answer: Because he heard that the Gauls were receiving aid from the Britons in the war in Gaul, and he wanted to teach them a lesson.
Card 2
Question: How many men did Caesar take on his first expedition to Britain in 55 BCE, and what happened during his initial landing?
Answer: He took 12,000 men; upon arrival, he found the cliffs of Dover defended and had to search for another landing point, where he was attacked by chariots
Card 3
Question: What action by the standard-bearer saved the situation during the 55 BCE landing?
Answer: The standard-bearer of the X Legion jumped into the water with the standard; the men followed him, and by entering the water, they managed to repel th
Card 4
Question: Why wasn't Caesar's victory in 55 BCE very profitable?
Answer: Because his ships carrying the cavalry were lost in a storm, the high tide destroyed some ships, and he had to return to Gaul for the winter; furtherm
Card 5
Question: What did Caesar do the following year, in 54 BCE (imprecise in the text), when he returned to Britain?
Answer: He returned with 30,000 men; the Britons did not prevent the landing, and the Romans advanced inland, forcing the tribes to make peace.
Card 6
Question: Why did Caesar have to return to Gaul again after his second expedition to Britain?
Answer: Because the presence of many troops in Britain unsettled the Gauls, so Caesar returned to Gaul with more prisoners to maintain control there.
Card 7
Question: Approximately how long were the Roman legions absent from Britain after Caesar's expeditions?
Answer: For over 90 years, the Roman armies left Britain in peace.
Card 8
Question: What attracted Roman traders to Britain during that period of peace?
Answer: Traders brought luxury goods for the Britons and carried back to Rome tales of the islands' wealth.
Card 9
Question: What did Emperor Claudius do in 43 CE?
Answer: He organized a large invasion of Britain with around 40,000 men, four legions, a lot of cavalry, and they chose a safe port for the landing.
Card 10
Question: How did the British tribes react to Claudius's invasion?
Answer: Some tribes quickly made peace, but others fought fiercely; there was a very tough battle that lasted two days.