Maritime record TR 36 SE 825 - Roman ships wrecked during Julius Caesar's operations in Britain

Summary

Location unknown. Wreck of unknown number of Roman warships which were wrecked on the strand at the landing site during a sudden storm during Caesar's first invasions of Britain in 55 & 54 BC from Gaul, most likely in the vicinity of Kent which has traditionally been regarded as the site of the Roman landings. They had been beached on the strand, only to be swamped and broken at a high tide associated with the full moon. Rutupiae, Roman Richborough, may be a strong possibility, but this is not universally accepted, while their departure point may have been Portus Itius (Boulogne-sur-Mer), but, again, there is no consensus. For convenience, therefore, the record has been indexed in Sandwich Bay as approximating to the position of loss, with the caveat that the inter-tidal zone during Iron Age/Roman period is likely now to be inland. Constructed of wood, they would have been powered by both sail and oar, and seem to have acted as both fighting ships and troop transports. There were also the 'ships of burden', that is, the auxiliary transports, also lost in the same storm through collision

Location

Grid reference Centred TR 3582 6113 (5m by 11m)
Map sheet TR36SE
County KENT
Civil Parish WORTH, DOVER, KENT

Map

Type and Period (1)

Full Description

Gaius Julius Caesar, c. 58-49 BC, C Iuli Caesaris Commentariorum de Bello Gallico (Bibliographic reference). SKE56359.

Sources/Archives (1)

  • --- Bibliographic reference: Gaius Julius Caesar. c. 58-49 BC. C Iuli Caesaris Commentariorum de Bello Gallico.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Sep 3 2024 3:57PM