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For nearly 400 years the British were a subject race, ruled by a centralized Mediterranean power which believed in cities, law and order, good government, municipal dignity, urban comforts and civilization. What have the Romans ever done for us? Comes into mind. The British Celts believed in small farming communities and trade, but they lost the field of battle by undisciplined heroism against superior technology and training. However, after years of occupation, a relationship developed between the two sets of people, which has permanently affected many aspects of the language, the culture and the history of Britain. Although Caratacus had escaped to Wales, the Romans were still under orders to secure the lowlands, before hunting for Caratacus. The Romans planned a three-pronged advance to subdue southern and middle England, a third of the Legionaries marched northwards towards Lindum, the XIV Legion marched towards Ratae (Leicester) and the II Legion, under the command of the future emperor Vespasian marched towards Vectis (the Isle of Wight). The II Legion then pressed westward engaging the Durotriges and the Dumnonii, grim struggles ensued as the Romans pushed their way to Isca Dumnuniorum (Exeter),where they stopped and built fortifications. Cornwall would be Romanised in the time of Nero, but the Romans had secured the southern banks of the River Severn, work began on the Fosse Way from Exeter to Lincoln. A Roman route from the river Severn to the watery expanse of The Wash in Norfolk and Lincolnshire, acting as a supply and trade route.Having thus provided the new province with a protective shield, the commander Plautius retired with honor in 47AD. His successor Ostorius Scapula, faced aggression on two fronts, from the Silures and the Brigantes, Scapula was convinced that the protection of the lowlands, meant that they had to invade these two territories, for he had by this time disarmed the tribes of the south, which brought a hostile reaction from the Iceni. He then advance his Legionaries into the gap between the River Severn and the River Trent, ordering the XIV Legion to advance onto Viroconium (Wroxeter). The XIVth then battled with the Deceangli and assisted Queen Cartimandua to regain control of the Brigantes. The Romans then turned their attention to the Silures, establishing a military fort at Glevum, near Gloucester, they also began to build a network of forts and military roads, making ready to subdue the Silures where Caratacus had taken refuge with the remnants of the British Army, but Caratacus had no intention of being caught in a trap, one step ahead of the Romans, he escaped to the Ordovices, who lived in the wilder parts of North Wales, the Legion pursued Caratacus and defeated the Ordovices in a pitched battle near Caersws, but again Caratacus escaped to the Brigantes where Cartimandua placed him in chains and handed him to the Romans. He was sent to Rome where Claudius was impressed by his defiant courage and spared his life, allowing him and his family to live in Rome in honorable confinement, but I prefer the 'I, Claudius', explanation. General Paulinus had ended the Celtic resistance in South Wales, had also defeated the Deceangli and was marching onto Ynys Mon.
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