Heritage

The Landing of Julius Caesar

Before the Romans

In the First Century BC Julius Caesar was seeking new lands for the Roman Empire which had world-wide rule as it ultimate aim. Tribes known as the Belgae living in Britain and Gaul (now known as Northern France) were a constant source of trouble to Caesar. His reason for invading Britain was that 'the people of Britain had assisted the Gauls in all their wars against Rome'.

He was probably attracted by Britain's wealth particularly in corn and minerals.

The First Invasion

It was about 9am on 26th August 55 BC when Julius Caesar arrived off Dover where the cliffs were lined with a vast number of fully armed natives. He decided to find a more suitable landing place and at about 3.30pm with a favourable tide and wind, proceeded along the coast for 7 miles and came to a stop off an open and level shore.

From the set of the tides, the direction of the prevailing wind and other factors, historians, archaeologists and astronomers have, after investigation and exhaustive research, fixed upon Deal as the likely landing place described by Caesar in his Commentaries.

The steeply shelving beach made landing impossible and forced the heavily armed Romans to jump down into deep water and struggle ashore. Whilst a few lighter warships supported them the troops gathered on the beach, fighting their way in-land. Eventually the disciplined Romans wore down the Britons who asked for Peace terms.

A Roman Galley from a Roman Coin

The Following Days

Four nights later there was a full moon and the spring tides combined with a violent storm led to the wrecking of many galleys and transports. This was a Roman disaster which the British chiefs tried to turn to their own advantage even though they had sued for peace, leaving hostages as a guarantee of good faith. The men of the Seventh Legion were ambushed whilst bringing in the corn from a field not far from the camp - probably at Walmer - and only saved by the timely arrival of Caesar.

The Romans continued with the repairing of their ships, breaking off to march out to rout an even larger force of Britons who again sued for peace. With the bad weather approaching, Caesar returned in his ships to Gaul after an expedition which was the beginning of the conquest of Britain.

An English Chariot 

The Second Invasion

The following winter Julius Caesar set his army to building a fleet of ships with greater beam and less draught which would prove more suitable for landing on the foreshore of Deal. About 600 were built and with warships and transports Caesar's second invading force of about 17,000 soldiers and 2,000 cavalry, set out from Boulogne at sunset one day in July 54 BC.

Caesar's Expedition 55-54BC

A gentle wind blew from the south west until about midnight but when it failed the tide carried the fleet along so that at daybreak the coast was to the left. With the turn of the tide Caesar ordered his men to row to that part of the coast which he knew from his experience of the previous summer to be the ideal landing place. They landed at about midday on a deserted beach somewhere between Deal and Sandwich, the Britons who had assembled to oppose the invaders having prudently retreated from the coast to higher points when the formidable fleet came in sight.

With his ships riding at anchor and strongly guarded, Caesar marched about 12 miles inland to the Stour crossing where the native forces were massing. He marched at night and surprised them with his arrival in the early morning where he easily defeated them and marched onto a large hill fort, Bigbury, 1½ miles away. His legions captured the fort and halted to construct a camp.

However on the next day whilst preparing a further advance disastrous news came from the fleet whose ships had been severely damaged by a violent storm.

Caesar returned and organised the repair of his vessels although 40 had been completely wrecked.
Altogether 760 ships were beached out of reach of the waves, an enormous task.

After 10 days delay Caesar returned inland to fight a much increased and better organised enemy now united under Cassivellaunus, a distinguished war-lord. However, his army was again successful and marched on towards the Thames, the southern border of Cassivellaunus' kingdom. In retaliation the Britons made a concerted attack on the naval camp at Deal but they were unsuccessful and disheartened Cassivellaunus decided to give in.

Hostages were given and an annual tribute fixed. Caesar returned to Gaul sometime in the middle of September after two months in Britain.