Caractacus at the Tribunal of Claudius at Rome The Battle of Medway (43 CE) was the first major recorded battle of the Roman invasion of Britain under the orders of the emperor Claudius. The British force was led by two brothers: Togodumnus, king of the Catuvellauni, and Caratacus, a chieftain of the same tribe. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. (LC-DIG-pga-00226). (more) Battle of the Medway English history [43 ce] Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-the-Medway Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Britishbattles.com - Battle of Medway Ask the Chatbot a Question Written by Tony Bunting Tony Bunting is a historian who has recently completed a research project at the University of Central Lancashire on the evolution of nineteenth-century British imperialism. He was a contributor to 1001... Tony Bunting Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Nov 19, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question Quick Facts Date: 43 (Show more) Location: United Kingdom Medway England (Show more) Participants: Briton ancient Rome (Show more) Key People: Caratacus Claudius Vespasian (Show more) See all related content Battle of the Medway, the first major recorded battle of the Roman invasion of Britain under the orders of the emperor Claudius. Fought in 43 ce, it is thought to have occurred at a crossing of the River Medway near the modern-day city of Rochester in Kent, England, and it raged for nearly two days.

　　The British force, estimated at 150,000, was led by two brothers: Togodumnus, king of the Catuvellauni, and Caratacus, a chieftain of the same tribe; fighting alongside them were elements from several other tribes. The Roman invasion force, under the command of Aulus Plautius, consisted of four legions, a force approximately 20,000 strong. Reinforcing them were another 25,000 auxiliaries, mostly Celts and Batavians, On hearing of the Roman landing at Richborough, British resistance united behind the leadership of the two brothers and, after two indecisive skirmishes in eastern Kent, the British force met the advancing Romans at the River Medway.

　　Britannica Quiz A History of War Cassius Dio, a Roman historian, records that the Britons were massed on marshy ground on the floodplain of the Medway. He adds that a detachment of Celtic Roman auxiliaries swam across the river and attacked the British chariot horses, surprising the Britons and causing panic. Using this initial advantage, Vespasian (a future Roman emperor) crossed the river with a large force but was unable to press home a victory. The battle continued to rage all day without any decisive result. On the second day, the Romans launched a daring attack under the command of Gnaeus Hosidius Geta, who was almost killed in the fighting that followed. However, Geta’s troops rallied around their commander and the Britons were eventually overcome, with the bulk of the British force taking flight. The fact that the battle lasted for two days indicates that it must have been a significant encounter. However, the British were not yet conquered and fell back to the River Thames, where Togodumnus was defeated, dying shortly afterward. Caratacus continued resistance until defeated at Caer Caradoc in 50 ce. He was taken to Rome to march in the triumphal parade for Claudius, who, after Caratacus delivered a stirring defense before the Roman Senate, pardoned Caratacus and provided him with property and a pension.

　　Apart from a small hoard of gold coins, little material evidence of the battle has been recovered, leading some historians to suggest that it took place on the south-central coast of England about 120 miles from Richborough. Remains of a commemorative arch erected by the Romans about 40 years after the battle have been found at Richborough, suggesting that the battle indeed took place there.