CELTIC AND ROMANO-BRITISH HERTFORDSHIRE 



track referred to followed the line of Watling Street, north-west of London, 

 which would have as its objectives the lowest safe ford across the Thames 

 and Verulamium. It passed through a district then and for long afterwards 

 dense woodland,^* such as would have concealed the army of Cassivellaunus 

 and would have been adapted to the tactics pursued by the British. 



After beginning his march north of the Thames, Caesar received 

 envoys from the Trinovantes, who submitted to him, giving hostages and a 

 supply of corn." In return he sent them Mandubracius their prince and 

 gave them protection from the Roman soldiers." The example of the 

 Trinovantes was followed by five other tribes who sent envoys and 

 surrendered. These negotiations must have occupied some days and would 

 necessitate a halt. It was at this time and from these latter envoys that the 

 exact position of the stronghold {oppidum) of Cassivellaunus was ascertained. 

 Caesar writing in the third person states " : — 



He learnt from the envoys that the stronghold of Cassivellaunus, which was protected by woods and 

 marshes, was not far oiF, and that a considerable number of men and of cattle had assembled in it. The 

 Britons apply the name of stronghold to any woodland spot difficult of access and fortified with a rampart 

 and trench to which they are in the habit of resorting in order to escape a hostile raid. Caesar marched to 

 the spot indicated with his legions and found that the place was of great natural strength and well fortified ; 

 nevertheless he proceeded to assault it on two sides. The enemy stood their ground a short time, but could 

 not sustain the onset of our infantry and fled precipitately from another part of the stronghold. A great 

 quantity of cattle was found in the place, and many of the garrison were captured as they were trying to 

 escape and killed. 



The site of the stronghold of Cassivellaunus has long been a matter of 

 dispute. Verulamium, London, Camulodunum or Colchester, Cassiobury 

 Park, Pinner and Harrow have each been claimed for it." As regards the 

 three last there seems to be no valid ground for a claim. Camulodunum 

 was in the territory of the Trinovantes and could not therefore have been 

 the stronghold of Cassivellaunus." The claim of London has been strongly 

 urged,^" but the evidence mainly lies in the supposed existence of a Late 

 Celtic stronghold on Ludgate Hill of which no indications remain and of 

 which there has been found no evidence of a rampart and ditch such as, 

 according to Caesar, existed at the stronghold of Cassivellaunus. Professor 

 Haverfield, the most recent authority on Roman London, states that ' either 

 there was no pre-Roman London or it was a small and undeveloped settle- 

 ment which may have been on the south bank of the Thames.' " It is 

 clear that London was of little importance before the Claudian invasion. 

 No British coins were struck there and only one such coin is recorded as 



^^ In Gesta Abbatum Mm. S. Albani (Rolls Ser.), i, 43, reference is made to a lease of about 1066 of 

 the manor of Aldenham ' ubi frequentius, propter sylvarum abundantiam, transeuntibus et Londoniam 

 adeuntibus, imminebant pericula.' Watling Street passes through the parish of Aldenham and is the main 

 thoroughfare to London. See also as to the clearing of this district by Abbot Leofstan (ibid. 39). 



1* Some authorities state that on crossing the Thames Caesar marched towards the land of the 

 Trinovantes (Essex), but he himself gives no hint of this, and if his goal was the stronghold of Cassivellaunus, 

 which there can be little doubt was Verulam, it is highly improbable he would have gone so far out 

 of his way. 



1' De Belle Gallico, v, 20. 



1' Ibid. 21. The translation is taken from T. Rice Holmes, Caesar's Commentaries (1908), 141. 



18 The claims of all these sites have been dealt with by T. Rice Holmes {Ancient Britain, 701). 



1^ Ibid. 702. 



20 T. Lewin in Arch, xl, 65 ; Sir Lawrence Gomme, Making of London, 17-23, 36. There were pile 

 dwellings at Finsbury and at the Fleet outside the site of Roman London, and possibly hut dwellings at 

 Cheapside ; Gomme, op. cit. 



^1 Joum. of Roman Studies (191 1), 146. 



A 121 16 



