THE CATUVELLAUNI CHAPTER II THE CATUVELLAUNI GENERAL APPEARANCE AND DRESS- WARFARE AND ENCLOSURES-ARTS AND CRAFTS-COINAGE-AGRICULTURE-TRADE, ETC. -CARACTACUS The Catuvellauni. THE territory of this tribe appears to have embraced most of the northern water-shed of the Thames, extending over what is now Middlesex, Essex, Hertfordshire, and into Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire. "One of the most powerful States was that of the Catuvellauni, a people so brave, vigorous, and formidable, possessing some degree of civilization and culture." Among the inscriptions discovered along the line of the Roman wall from the Tyne to the Solway Firth, there is one which shows that some portion of their territory, or as a whole, was designated a State or Canton-thus, Civitate Catuvellaunorum. Another indicates that they were a distinct tribe or people "D. M. Barates or Palmyra to his freedwoman wife natione Catuvallauna." That this state and nation was not alone so described is proved by other Romano-British inscriptions, viz., Civitas Dumnon, and ex decreto ordinis respublica civitate Silorum. From this "it is clear that Britain was, like Gaul, organized in large cantons bearing the names of the old tribes. If this tribe on one of the remoter corners of the land had a regular canton and senate, and was organized into a civitas, we cannot doubt that all the regions of the south were governed by similar institutions." 2 At the time of the invasion by Julius Caesar, 54 B.C., the capital entrenchment of the Catuvellauni was at Verulamium, adjoining St. Albans, and this was captured by the Roman Army. Nearly a century later Camulodunum, now Lexden by Colchester, had become the more important place, and this was taken by Claudius Caesar in A.D. 43. The change is shown by inscriptions on the coinage 2 44 1 "Celtic Britain," Rhys; "Middlesex and Herts, Notes and Queries," iii, 115, Hales. England before the Conquest," Oman. According to Ptolemy (A.D. 120) there were twenty-seven tribes in the island of Britain: Marcianus (A.D. 140) gives thirty-three nations, "Mon. Hist. Brit." from "Ver(ulamium)" to "Camu(lodunum)," of which examples are given later on. Their first ruler mentioned in history is Cassivellaunus who was defeated by Caesar when defending the great ford of the lower Thames in 54 B.C. He had just previous to that event overrun the territory of the Trinovantes (Essex) and slain their King Imanuentius, whose son Mandubratius fled to seek Caesar's protection. Tascovant, the next ruler, who died about A.D. 1 is supposed to have been the son or grandson of Cassivellaunus. Cunobeline,' son of Tascovant, held his chief enclosure at Camulodunum. Togodumnus, slain in battle with Plautius, and Caractacus,' sons of King Cunobeline, were the British leaders who so stoutly opposed the advance of the Roman General Plautius, in A.D. 43. A third son, Adminius, on being banished by his father, fled about A.D. 40 to the Emperor at Rome. Appearance.-We can form some idea of their appearance and dress, for the classical writers are agreed as to the physical characteristics of the Celts with whom they were acquainted, and described them as being tall, muscular men, with fair skin and blue eyes, and blonde hair tending towards red." On account of the climate the British were compelled to clothe their bodies with woollen garments, for they could both weave and spin, and the tartan with its variegated colours is described by Caesar's contemporary, Diodorus Siculus (44 B.C.) as their distinctive dress. Possibly the different tribes had their own particular or distinctive hues, somewhat like the Scottish clans. They also wore "breeches" (which appears to be a Celtic word) drawn tight over the ankles after the fashion still current among the agricultural labourers. These rude garments doubtless provoked laughter at civilized Rome, for Martial (A.D. 70) satirises a life, "Lydia as loose as the old breeches of a British pauper." In winter the furs and skins of the numerous wild animals which then roamed over our island would provide warm covering. "The upper classes wore collars and bracelets of gold, and necklaces of amber and beads." 3 Warfare and Enclosures.-The tribesmen when engaged in fighting, their constant occupation, would discard their heavier garments, and the skin where exposed was painted or tattoed to create, it is said, a terrifying appearance, but more likely to distinguish friend from foe; and if our ancient tribesmen tattoed their bodies it was only a custom which the sailor and soldier of to-day freely practice. "The British," says Herodian (A D. 220), "drew figures of animals The Cymbeline of Shakespeare. 2 As to his subsequent career see chap. vii. * Martial, “Ep.," x, 22; "Mon. Hist. Brit.,” xci. "Roman Britain," Conybeare. 1 2 upon their bodies," and it would be interesting to know whether a horse, wolf, stag, or other beast formed the tribal badge of the Catuvellauni. "They (the Britons) are a most warlike and sanguinary race, carrying only a small shield, a spear, and a sword." Caesar expresses admiration at their military tactics with the "Esseda," a small two-wheeled war chariot drawn by a pair of ponies, the driver of which galloped up to try and break into the ranks of the enemy, while his companion apparently ran along the pole and leapt upon the foe, using the chariot as a means of retreat when necessary. The pre-eminence of the Catuvellauni whether as a tribe or as a tribal confederacy, was mainly brought about by the possession of a territory to which, along its southern border, the Thames formed a strategic frontier, with only two entrances by the main fords at Brentford and Wallingford, where hostile tribes attacking from the South could be held in check. Through the first named ford, as already mentioned, ran the great trade route from the port at Dover to the Midlands, crossing Middlesex by Horsadun, Sudbury and Brockley Hills. In a subsequent chapter a full description is given of the forcing by Caesar of the passage of the Thames at Brentford, and of the remains of the extensive palisades protecting the great ford there, which were recently found embedded in the river and on its northern bank. This discovery settles the long vexed question as to the Thames ford crossed by Caesar." The dense forest of Middlesex, which stretched over the northern uplands of the County between the Colne and the Lea and beyond into Essex, formed a second line of defence to the southern territory of the Catuvellauni. At its eastern end the circular camp at Bush Hill guarded the upper Lea ford between Enfield and Chingford (Essex). A few miles to the west at Hadley lay a second enclosure, probably used mainly for the purpose of folding their cattle in the time of war, while still further westwards an important camp crowned the top of Brockley Hill-the Sulloniacae of Roman times-which has obliterated all traces of the earlier British works. But at Bush Hill Park three-fourths of the circular rampart of this camp of the Catuvellauni remain in fair condition, and gives a diameter of 150 yards. The earthwork may once have been from 8 to 10 feet in height, and when surmounted with the usual hedge of stakes and quickthorn must in those days have been a strong fort to storm in "hand to hand" warfare. At Brentford on the rising ground above the palisade work protecting the great ford over the lower Thames, formerly stood a circular entrenchment with a diameter of about 170 yards. Though its butts or earth works have long since been 'Herodian, "Mon. Hist. Brit.," lxiv. 2 Caesar, "De Bello Gallico," iv, 33. A granite monument was erected in 1909 at Brentford Ferry to commemorate this battle and other historical events which have occurred around that spot. 1 levelled' their position can be traced from old maps, and from the bend which the ancient road takes in psssing round the former lines. A public footpath also runs through it from north to south, but the site is now covered by modern houses. Similar enclosures probably once existed near Hyde Park Corner to guard the adjacent Thornea ford, and by Old Ford on the Lea before the Trinovantes were absorbed into the Catuvellaunian confederacy. 66 The British tribes seem to have been backward in the art of building, their houses being mere log cabins, mean habitations constructed for the most part of reeds and wood." " "The number of inhabitants is very great, and they possess numerous buildings which generally resemble those of the Gauls. Their towns are protected with rampart and ditch situated amidst intricate woods, where they are wont to congregate to avoid the incursion of their foes. They keep much cattle." With materials growing ready to hand the Catuvellauni would have had no difficulty in protecting their enclosures by a formidable hedge, much of the same character as that erected by the Nervii in Belgic Gaul, which Caesar thus describes: "To secure themselves against the inroads of the cavalry of the neighbouring nations, they had everywhere fortified the country with barricadoes of young trees, which being split in the middle and bent down on both sides the vacant spaces were so closely interwoven with brambles, thorns, and a multitude of boughs taken from the trees themselves, that they formed a wall which could neither be passed nor seen through.' 994 In Middlesex the British principally inhabited the Thames valley where have chiefly been found the various articles of Celtic manufacture next to be described. Here the soil is lighter than the heavy clays of the northern uplands of the County, on which in British times and for centuries afterwards flourished a vast forest. The numerous head of cattle possessed by the Catuvellauni would find grazing amid the glades of this forest, and there, hidden in its depths, enclosures would be made into which their herds would be collected in time of need. Arts and Crafts.-Numerous relics relating to the daily life of the Celtic tribesmen have been discovered throughout Britain which, coupled with information from local sources, enables us to form some idea of the articles used by the Catuvellauni and found in Middlesex. These articles may be thus classified: I. POTTERY. Drinking and incense cups, cinerary urns, food vessels, also late wheelmade articles with graceful lines and kiln fired. They were situated in the 9 acres of common of the manor of West Brentford enclosed and sold in 1664. 2 Siculus, 44 B.C., "Mon. Hist. Brit.," ii. Idem, v, 11-17. MIDDLESEX. Ornamented drinking cups from Old England, Brentford. Cinerary urns have been unearthed at Acton, Ashford, and Hanwell. A large number of urns as well as stone celts have been found in the gravel pits by the Boston Road, Hanwell, specimens of which have been preserved by Mr. W. Seward, the owner. A series of cinerary urns, dating from about 1,000 B.C. have been found on the Common between Ashford and Sunbury. About thirty burials were found in a space of 50 ft. by 20 ft. The specimens are at the British Museum. A cylindrical brick at Great Stanmore. II. METAL WORK. Bronze, cast and wrought: Shields,' helmets, swords, sheathes, horse strappings, chariot fittings, celts, brooches, a chaldron riveted, and ornamental work for tankards and pails. Gold and silver: Rings, armulets, neck torques, wire chains, chased mirrors, engraved metal, and figures of animals. MIDDLESEX. In bronze: Old England, Brentford, shield with concentric ornament, swords, one in sheath, celts, ornamented axle cap with traces of enamel from a chariot, tankard lined with oak, and a water clock. Feltham, double hook; Hammersmith, brooches, bowls, pins, and rings; Hampton, spearhead and dagger; Hanwell, a caster's hoard of 30 lb. of nearly pure copper, and an imperfect socketed and ringed celt; Hounslow, palstaves, celts, swords, and three small figures of boars; Southall, mould for casting celts, palstaves, and a ring; Stanmore, ornamental work; Sunbury, celts; Teddington, sword and sheath; Twickenham, sword and brooch and eight pieces of tin money; Chelsea, from the Thames, a shield, a beautiful piece of late Celtic work, and a spear head with fragment of shaft. In iron: Brentford, knives, sickles, spearheads, dagger in ornamented bronze sheath, etc. Hammersmith, a late Celtic sword and sheath. III. ENAMEL WORK. This “had reached a high stage of indigenous development before its contact with Roman culture." Philostratus in his "Icomes," writing early in the third century, and doubtless referring to the British, states: "They say that the barbarians who live in the ocean pour their colours on heated brass, and that they adhere, become as hard as stone, and preserve the designs that are made upon them." Specimens have been found, viz.: brooches set with red, blue, and yellow enamel, amber, and glass, an ornamental fly with blue enamel wings, shields, belt bosses, etc., set with coral and white shell. MIDDLESEX, adjoining to, but in Catuvellaunian territory: Datchet (Bucks), bronze fibula set with amber and blue glass; Witham (Essex), bronze shield set with coral; Welwyn (Herts), various works of art. 1 Caesar is said to have carried back from Britain a breast-plate adorned with precious pearls which he dedicated in the temple of Victory at Rome. "Political Hist. of Eng.," 22, Hodgkin. 2 "Britain produces gold, silver, and other minerals," Tacitus, "Agricola,” xii... 3 See specimens in Brentford Museum. 'Glass and Enamel," Waring and Franks. |