The southern prong, consisting of the Second Legion, commanded by the future Emperor Vespasian marched through Sussex and Hampshire, the lands of the Atrebates tribe, who were friendly to Rome. The aquilaĬlaudius sent four legions to Britain, embarking from Boulogne and landing at Richborough in modern Kent, Claudius' forces launched a three pronged attack on the Celts of Britain. Caratacus, king of the Catavellauni tribe, which occupied the area to the north of the River Thames, invaded the territory of his neighbours the Atrebates, whose ruler, Verica, fled to Rome and appealed for aid providing Claudius with the excuse he needed to invade. Emperor Claudius required a public relations coup to secure his shaky position and therefore decided to undertake an invasion of Britain. After exacting a promise of tribute from the defeated tribes, Caesar left Britain to put down the rebellion in Gaul.

Caesar was then leading the Roman armies in Gaul and the Britons had been sending aid to their kinsmen the Celts of Gaul.Ĭaesar landed about 6 miles from Dover in present-day Kent, and in the summer of 55 BC fought several battles with the Celtic tribes of southern Britain, he returned the following summer defeating the British tribal chief Cassivellaunus. The first Roman invasion of Britain was launched by the great republican general Julius Caesar in 55 BC.

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