Aulus Plautius

Aulus Plautius (lived 1st century) was the first governor of Roman Britain, serving from 43 to 47.

Related Topics:
1st century - Governor - Roman Britain - 43 - 47

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Plautius' political career started in a unknown way, probably as a military tribune. He was suffect consul in 29, and ca. 36 he was appointed governor of the Roman province of Pannonia, in the region of modern Hungary. The Emperor Claudius gave him the command of the Roman invasion of Britain in May 43. At that time the south-east of Britain was dominated by the Catuvellauni, who had overthrown Verica, king of their western neightbours the Atrebates and an ally of Rome.

Related Topics:
Consul - 29 - 36 - Roman province - Pannonia - Hungary - Claudius - Roman invasion of Britain - 43 - Catuvellauni - Verica - Atrebates

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The army was composed of four legions: II Augusta, IX Hispana, XIV Gemina and XX Valeria Victrix, plus approximately 20,000 auxiliary troops, including Thracians and Batavians. The II Augusta was commanded by the future emperor Vespasian. Three other men of appropriate rank to command legions are known to have been involved in the invasion: Vespasian's brother Titus Flavius Sabinus and Gnaeus Hosidius Geta appear in Dio Cassius's account of the invasion; Gnaeus Sentius Saturninus is mentioned by Eutropius.

Related Topics:
Legions - II Augusta - IX Hispana - XIV Gemina - XX Valeria Victrix - Thracians - Batavians - Vespasian - Titus Flavius Sabinus - Gnaeus Hosidius Geta - Dio Cassius - Gnaeus Sentius Saturninus - Eutropius

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On the beaches of northern Gaul Plautius faced a mutiny by his troops, who were reluctant to cross the Ocean and fight beyond the limits of the known world. They were persuaded after Claudius's freedman and secretary Narcissus addressed them: seeing a former slave in place of their commander, they cried "Io Saturnalia!" (Saturnalia being a Roman festival in which social roles were reversed for the day) and the mutiny was over.

Related Topics:
Gaul - Ocean - Freedman - Narcissus - Saturnalia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The invasion force sailed in three divisions, and is generally believed to have landed at Richborough in Kent, although parts may have landed elsewhere (see Site of the Claudian invasion of Britain). The Britons, led by Togodumnus and Caratacus of the Catuvellauni, were reluctant to fight a pitched battle, relying on instead on guerrilla tactics. However, Plautius defeated first Caratacus, then Togodumnus, on the rivers Medway and Thames. Togodumnus died shortly afterwards, although Caratacus survived and continued to be a thorn in the invaders' side.

Related Topics:
Richborough - Kent - Site of the Claudian invasion of Britain - Togodumnus - Caratacus - Guerrilla - Medway - Thames

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Having reached the Thames, Plautius halted and sent for Claudius, who arrived with elephants and heavy artillery and completed the march on the Catuvellaunian capital, Camulodunum (Colchester). A Roman province was established in the conquered territory, and alliances made with nations outside direct Roman control. Plautius became governor of the new province, until 47 when he was replaced by Publius Ostorius Scapula. On his return to Rome and civil life, Plautius was granted an Ovation, during which the emperor himself walked by his side to and from the Capitol.

Related Topics:
Colchester - Roman province - Governor - 47 - Publius Ostorius Scapula - Ovation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Plautius was a (probably distant) relative of Claudius's first wife, Plautia Urgulanilla.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Plautius's wife, Pomponia Graecina, after the execution of her kinswoman Livia Julia by Claudius and Messalina, remained in mourning for forty years in open, and unpunished, defiance of the emperor. In 57 she was charged with a "foreign superstition", usually taken to mean conversion to Christianity. According to Roman law, she was tried by her husband before her kinsmen, and was acquitted. However inscriptions in the Catacombs of Rome suggest that members of her family were Christians, and the archaeologist Battista de Rossi identifies her with Saint Lucina, the purported donor of the part of the Catacombs where the inscriptions were found.

Related Topics:
Pomponia Graecina - Livia Julia - Messalina - 57 - Christianity - Catacombs of Rome - Archaeologist - Battista de Rossi - Saint Lucina

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~