Caesar's Invasion of Britain

by Peter Berresford Ellis

At 9 am on 25 August 55 BC, eighty warships and transports lay at anchor under the shadow of the South Foreland cliffs. Looking up at the cliff-tops, the Roman commander, Caius Julius Caesar, saw thousands of British warriors from all the tribes of the South, ready to resist with force the imperialism of Rome.
Caesar's Invasion of Britain does much more than tell the story of the abortive invasions of 55 and 54 BC. The book surveys the cultural achievements, religious practices, government, economy, and military organization of the British Celts. It shows that the Britons were not crude, woad-painted savages but members of a complex and cultured society. It tells of the campaign plans of Caesar and the preparations of the defenders of Britain. It reveals how a set conflict soon changed to a guerrilla war, and how each side countered new military methods introduced by the enemy. Finally, it shows how, by a combination of British tactical sense and good luck, the Romans were forced to abandon their invasion and leave Britain in peace for another century.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

144 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1994

About the author

Peter Berresford Ellis is a historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. Under Peter Tremayne, he is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.

He began his career as a junior reporter on an English south coast weekly, becoming deputy editor of an Irish weekly newspaper and was then editor of a weekly trade journal in London. He first went as a feature writer to Northern Ireland in 1964 for a London daily newspaper which had a profound effect on him. His first book was published in 1968: Wales: a Nation Again, on the Welsh struggle for political independence, with a foreword by Gwynfor Evans, Plaid Cymru's first Member of Parliament. In 1975 he became a full-time writer. He used his academic background to produce many popular titles in the field of Celtic Studies and he has written numerous academic articles and papers in the field for journals ranging from The Linguist (London) to The Irish Sword: Journal of the Irish Military History Society (UCD). He is highly regarded by academics in his own field and was described by The Times Higher Education Supplement, London, (June, 1999) as one of the leading authorities on the Celts then writing. He has been International Chairman of the Celtic League 1988–1990; chairman of Scrif-Celt (The Celtic Languages Book Fair in 1985 and in 1986); chairman and vice-president of the London Association for Celtic Education 1989–1995, and now is an Hon. Life Member); He was also chairman of his local ward Labour Party in London, England, and was editorial advisor on Labour and Ireland magazine in the early 1990s. He is a member of the Society of Authors.

Apart from his Celtic Studies interests, Ellis has always been fascinated by aspects of popular literature and has written full-length biographies on H. Rider Haggard, W. E. Johns, Talbot Mundy as well as critical essays on many more popular fiction authors. His own output in the fictional field, writing in the genre of horror fantasy and heroic fantasy, began in 1977 when the first "Peter Tremayne" book appeared. Between 1983 and 1993 he also wrote eight adventure thrillers under the name "Peter MacAlan". Ellis has published (as of January, 2009) a total of 91 books, 95 short stories, several pamphlets, and numerous academic papers and signed journalistic articles. Under his own name he wrote two long running columns: 'Anonn is Anall' (Here and There) from 1987–2008 for the Irish Democrat, and, "Anois agus Arís" (Now and Again) from 2000–2008 for The Irish Post. His books break down into 34 titles under his own name; 8 titles under the pseudonym of Peter MacAlan and 49 titles under his pseudonym of Peter Tremayne. He has lectured widely at universities in several countries, including the UK, Ireland, American, Canada, France and Italy. He has also broadcast on television and radio since 1968. With the great popularity of his 7th Century set Sister Fidelma Mysteries, in January, 2001, an International Sister Fidelma Society was formed in Charleston, South Carolina, with a website and producing a print magazine three times a year called The Brehon. In 2006 the Cashel Arts Fest established the first three-day international gathering of fans of the series which is now held bi-annually and receives the full support of the Society

Reviews

[Linda Munroe]

Clear, careful and lively description of Caesar's two attempts to invade Britain. The author makes the culture of the Celts central to his discussion and describes the clash of culture that was occuring in the territories controlled by Celtic tribes in Gaul as they were attacked and annexed by the Roman military.

The English channel offered a formidable barrier to the transport of troops at the time (55 BC - 54 BC) and the descriptions of the ships being broken up on the shore on both of these invasion attempts explain the 97 year lull before the Romans made a third attempt to invade Britain.

Everything about this book is done carefully including the selection of many illustrations to add information and beauty to the text. I would have appreciated a map of the Islands as I had to keep going to the Atlas to determine where the places were that we were reading about.

[Jill Hudson]

Although this book was written some 40 years ago, it still sheds valuable light on the beginnins of Roman Britain, and the illustrations are most welcome.

[Dr Susan Turner]

An good and straightforward introduction with some nice illustrations and maps to theearly history of the Romans entering Britain. A foretaste before reading Caesar's own account.

[Robinson Stowell]

While lightish on 'Caesar's Invasion of Britain' the bulk of the book was fascinating to me as a 'primer' on Celtic civilization - and their bloody first encounters with the Romans. The author is markedly 'pro-Celt'; prone to stereotyping; and some of the research is out-dated. But I still found it fascinating.