Pierwsza kampania wojenna Juliusza Cezara - 55 p.n.e.

In 56 B.C. the political alliance at Rome between Caius Julius Caesar, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus and Marcus Licinius Crassus had been renewed at the Italian town of Luca, ensuring the primacy of the three in Roman political life for the next few years. Caesar had his command in Gaul renewed when Pompeius and Crassus became consuls the following year, and by the end of that year Gaul had been largely pacified, despite a rising by the Usipetes and Tencteri tribes, which delayed Caesar's reconnaisance to Britain; Caesar looked for new opportunities for glory here.

Caesar sent his lieutenant Gaius Volensus ahead to reconnoitre for a suitable landing place while he gathered two of his legions and some auxiliary troops. Caesar landed somewhere in the region of Deal, the harbour held againt him by a force of Britons. The Romans were eventually able to make a successful landing and rout the Britons, but were unable to press their victory because contrary winds had prevented the Roman cavalry from making the crossing from Gaul.

Caesar now demanded hostages from the Britons that sued for peace. Meanwhile, by the fourth day, the cavalry transports had been wrecked by a storm and the transports Caesar had with him were badly damaged, leaving the Roman troops with little by the way of food. It was now that the Britons chose to slip away and renew their alliances against Caesar, and attacked the VIIth legion while it was foraging for food. Caesar, at the head of the Xth legion, just managed to rout the enemy force, but again could not follow up his advantage with cavalry. Twice as many hostages were demanded, and Caesar now took them back to Gaul with him.

Source: www.romans.etrusia.co.uk