WI: British Druids on Mona hold out, 60 AD

WI: British Druids on Mona hold out, 60 AD

Hello everyone here is my second British scenario

In 60 AD a Roman force under Suetonius Paulinus stormed the island of Mona, also called Anglesey, in what would be known as the Menai Massacre. The island of Mona was inhabited by fanatical Druids, Ordovices warbands and according to Tacitus also had a “considerable population” of both island inhabitants and refuges. The major problem for the Romans was that they had to cross the Menai Strait, in boats, and then battle the British warriors who occupied the heights above them. In OTL the Roman’s pushed the British back, from the beach, and chased them into their villages and sacred groves where, the defenders, were slaughtered. My question is could the Romans have been defeated and forced to retreat from the island? Here are some factors that I think work in the British’s favor, they have the high ground, they are defending their scared shrines and according to Tacitus some British women carrying flaming brands “ both inspired the British and Terrified the Romans.”, so they do have moral on their side. Let’s assume that that the British are able to drive the Roman’s into retreat what would be the long term results? Would the Romans come back and try to take the island again? Would the Druids resistance continue to insight rebellions throughout Britain? What if Paulinus was killed on Mona, how would that effect Boudicca’s rebellion?

Sources
The Last Stand of the Druids! By Rick Priestley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menai_Massacre
Tacitus: Agricola
 
Okay, so the only plausible thing I can see coming out of this is Paulinus being killed and the Romans even more motivated to completely exterminate the inhabitants.

What effect Paulinus's death has on the future in Britain, I can't say. Boudicca's rebellion is still going to eventually be put down either way though.
 
Okay, so the only plausible thing I can see coming out of this is Paulinus being killed and the Romans even more motivated to completely exterminate the inhabitants.

What effect Paulinus's death has on the future in Britain, I can't say. Boudicca's rebellion is still going to eventually be put down either way though.


Do you mean Paulinus dies, the Romans give up and leave or Paulinus dies and they do clean up? If its the former would the Romans have put more focus on stamping out the Druids or crushing Boudicca?
 
Do you mean Paulinus dies, the Romans give up and leave or Paulinus dies and they do clean up? If its the former would the Romans have put more focus on stamping out the Druids or crushing Boudicca?

Paulinus dies and the entire island is complete depopulated (where Paulinus died). The Romans were known for making a desert and calling it peace. Just ask the alpine tribes that resisted Tiberius, or the Jews that rebelled against Hadrian.
 

Flubber

Banned
Here are some factors that I think work in the British’s favor...



Okay...

... they have the high ground...

They did in the OTL and they still lost.

.... they are defending their scared shrines...

They were in the OTL and they still lost.

... British women carrying flaming brands “ both inspired the British and Terrified the Romans.”, so they do have moral on their side.

And the Britons in the OTL still lost.

We're talking about First Century Rome here. While there's the occasional Crassus and Varus, Rome usually kicks ass and that's because Rome takes enormous pains to kick ass. As Sly already explained, a repulse at Mona only means the Romans will be back to finish the job and Paulinus' death only means that Rome is going to really finish the job.

You've been looking at the equation from the wrong side. If you want to Britain to repulse a Roman invasion or to successfully drive the Romans away, you should look into changing Rome more than changing Britain.
 
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