Ancient Britain was known to the Mediterranean world. The Greeks called the island Pretannia, but the Romans named it Britannia, and made it part of their empire. The term ‘Britannia’ therefore figures prominently in military history.
The Roman conqueror Julius Caesar twice invaded Britannia, landing in Kent in 55 BC, and then again in 54 BC, but each time his visit was short-lived. In AD 43, Emperor Claudius, eager for military glory, mounted a more determined invasion. Four legions under the command of Aulus Plautius landed and defeated native armies at the Medway and at the Thames.
Claudius was subsequently awarded a triumph by the Senate, as well as the title ‘Britannicus’, that he would give to his son. A dramatisation of the invasion era may be found in the 2018 television production Britannia.
War Classics – Enemy at the Gates