ROMAN WAREHAM AND THE CLA^JDIAN INVASION. 125 



invasion: and it is this. The record and traditions of such an 

 invasion would be perfectly fresh at the period of the next 

 attack made by the Romans on Britain. This was in the year 296, 

 under Constantino Chlorus, after the ten years rebellion of 

 Carausius and Allectus. The memory of the successful landing 

 place in the former invasion would of course largely influence the 

 choice of the point of attack ; and we find accordingly the Roman 

 fleet collected, not at Boulogne, but at the mouth of the Seine 

 the nearest port for crossing to the Isle of Wight ; while the British 

 fleet (of Allectus) ivas cruising about the Isle of Wight, where the 

 Romans came so near it that it was only under cover of a thick 

 fog they slipped past and landed the invading force in some part of 

 the west coast, whence they marched to London (" Gibbons' Decline 

 and Fall," chap. xiii.). The strategic advantage of the Isle of 

 Wight, in addition to the safe anchorage of the vast fleet, may be 

 summarized thus : First, the Romans might be certain not to find 

 the main army of Britons on the Isle. They would keep on the 

 mainland to repel the expected attack. Next, if the Britons 

 expecting the attack on the Portsmouth side of the Southampton 

 Water, had drawn up there, the Romans had only to head their 

 vessels to the west bank to secure an unopposed landing. And 

 vice versa. Thirdly, if the British commanders, foreseeing this, 

 were to divide their forces into two, one half on each bank, the 

 Romans could mass the whole of their army into one, and beat 

 either half the Britons before the other could come to its help. 

 Dion Cassius hints that they were surprised not to find any large 

 army awaiting them. He says they divided into three bodies for 

 the greater certainty of landing. One vital thing would of course 

 be that these three landing places should be within moderate 

 distance of a common converging point, and that each should be in 

 the meantime readily defensible by earthworks, and afford, fair 

 foraging ground for the cavalry, &c., attached to each legion. 

 Given the Isle of Wight for a base, and Southampton and Ports- 

 mouth as offering two of the landing stations, where is the third 1 

 Unquestionably in Poole harbour, with Wareham at its head, 



