The Battle of the Medway took place in 43 on the River Medway in the lands of the Iron Age tribe of the Cantiaci, now the English county of Kent. It was an early battle in the Claudian invasion of Britain, led by Aulus Plautius. Britain was the target of invasion by forces of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire several times during its history. ... Events Aulus Plautius, with 4 legions, landed on Britain. ... Motto Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire. ... Some of the known Celtic tribes in Britain and Ireland were as follows: The Brigantes were an important tribe in northern England. ... Aulus Plautius (lived 1st century) was the first governor of Roman Britain, serving from 43 to 47. ... Togodumnus was a historical king of the British Catuvellauni tribe at the time of the Roman conquest. ... Caratacus (Brythonic *Caratācos, Greek Καράτακος; variants Latin Caractacus, Greek Καρτάκης) was a historical British chieftain of the Catuvellauni tribe, who led the British resistance to the Roman conquest. ... The Roman Legion (from Latin , from lego, legere, legi, lectus — to collect) is a term that can apply both as a transliteration of legio (conscription or army) to the entire Roman army and also, more narrowly (and more commonly), to the heavy infantry that was the basic military unit of... Britain was the target of invasion by forces of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire several times during its history. ... The Battle of Caer Caradoc was the final battle in Caratacuss resistance to Roman rule. ... The Battle of Mons Graupius took place in AD 83 or 84. ... Events Aulus Plautius, with 4 legions, landed on Britain. ... The River Medway in England flows for 112 km from Turners Hill, in West Sussex, through Tonbridge, Maidstone and the Medway Towns conurbation in Kent, to the River Thames at Sheerness, where it is the latters last tributary. ... Iron Age Axe found on Gotland This article is about the archaeological period known as the Iron Age, for the mythological Iron Age see Iron Age (mythology). ... The Cantiaci were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands, previous to the Roman invasion of Britain. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Britain was the target of invasion by forces of the Roman Republic and Roman Empire several times during its history. ... Aulus Plautius (lived 1st century) was the first governor of Roman Britain, serving from 43 to 47. ...

On the news of the Roman landing, the British tribes united under the command of Togodumnus and his brother Caratacus of the Catuvellauni tribe to fight them. After losing two initial skirmishes in eastern Kent, the natives gathered on the banks of a river further west to face the invaders. Togodumnus was a historical king of the British Catuvellauni tribe at the time of the Roman conquest. ... Caratacus (Brythonic *Caratācos, Greek Καράτακος; variants Latin Caractacus, Greek Καρτάκης) was a historical British chieftain of the Catuvellauni tribe, who led the British resistance to the Roman conquest. ... The Catuvellaunii (meaning probably good in battle) were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Isles, before the Roman invasion of Britain. ...

At the same time, the Romans received the surrender of the Dobunni tribe in western Britain. The Dobunni were subjects of the Catuvellauni and this diplomatic gain was likely a blow to native morale and manpower. The Dobunni were one of the Celtic tribes living in the British Islands prior to the Roman invasion of Britain. ...

There was no bridge over the river and so a detachment of specially-trained Roman auxiliaries (described by the only historical source for the battle Dio Cassius as "Celtic") swam across the river and attacked the natives' chariot horses. In the chaos that followed, the bulk of the invasion force spearheaded by Legio II Augusta under Vespasian crossed the river, under the overall command of Titus Flavius Sabinus II. It seems the natives were taken by surprise at how fully-armed legionaries were able to cross the river and Peter Salway states that even Dio seems taken aback. The Romans were unable to press home victory immediately and the first day of fighting ended without a result. During the second day, a daring attack led by Hosidius Geta almost led to the Roman officer being captured. His troops retaliated however and put the Britons to flight. Geta was awarded a triumph for securing victory, a rare honour for someone who had not been consul. Given the primary roles taken by Geta and Sabinus on different days it has been suggested by the historian Malcolm Todd that the Romans were operating as two, or possibly three, battle groups. Dio Cassius Cocceianus (c. ... This article is about the European people. ... Hittite chariot (drawing of an Egyptian relief) Approximate historical map of the spread of the chariot, 2000–500 BC. A chariot is a two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicle. ... Legio II Augusta, or Second Augustan Legion, was a Roman legion, levied by Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus in 43 BC, and still operative in Britannia in 4th century. ... Imperator Caesar Vespasianus Augustus (born November 17, 9, died June 23, 79), known originally as Titus Flavius Vespasianus and usually referred to in English as Vespasian, was emperor of Rome from 69 to 79. ... See also Titus Flavius Sabinus for other men of this name. ... Consul (abbrev. ... The carrier battle group (CVBG or CARBATGRU) or carrier strike group (CVSG) is a fleet of ships in support of an aircraft carrier. ...

Such a long battle was unusual in ancient warfare and it is likely that the Romans had defeated a significant native force. The Britons fell back to the Thames where they were afforded a greater strategic advantage. Ancient warfare is war as conducted from the beginnings of recorded history to the end of the ancient period. ... The Thames (pronounced //) is a river flowing through southern England, and one of the major waterways in England. ...

Dio does not in fact name the battle's location or even the river in question but its site is usually said to be on the Medway. The Romans would have made use of existing trackways as they moved west from Richborough, and the most well-travelled prehistoric trackway would been the route of the later Pilgrim's Way, which forded the Medway at Aylesford. Other theories, however, note that the river is narrow enough at Aylesford not to pose significant difficulties in crossing, and place the battle closer to Rochester, where a large Iron Age settlement stood at the time. Further evidence of a more northern location is at Bredgar, where a find of a hoard of Roman coins from the period has been interpreted as a Roman officer's savings buried for safekeeping before a battle. This hoard could, however, post-date the battle by as much as 20 years. Possibly the Romans followed the future route of Watling Street to the battle, although its role as a pre-Roman communications route is not certain. Richborough is a settlement just north of Sandwich on the east coast of the English county of Kent. ... The Pilgrims Way is reputedly the route taken by pilgrims to the shrine of Thomas Becket from Winchester in Hampshire to Canterbury in Kent, England. ... Aylesford is a large village on the River Medway in Kent, 4 miles NW of Maidstone in England. ... Rochester is a small town in Kent, at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London. ... Bredgar is a village in the Borough of Swale in Kent, England. ... For the software, see hoard memory allocator. ... The modern Watling Street crossing the Medway at Rochester near the Roman and Celt crossings Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Celts mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. ...

Bibliography

• Frere, S, Britannia, Routledge, 1987
• Salway, P, Roman Britain OUP, 1986
• Todd, M, Roman Britain, Fontana, 1985