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.