Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain

Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain
Part of the Gallic Wars
Roman invasion of Britain 54 BC
Date 55 and 54 BC Location Kent, the Thames, Essex and Hertfordshire Result Local client kings and tributary tribes set up by Rome Territorial changes None
Belligerents
Roman Republic	Celtic Britons
Commanders and leaders
Julius Caesar	Cassivellaunus
Strength
55 BC 7,000–10,000 legionaries plus cavalry and auxiliaries 100 transport ships[1] 54 BC 17,500–25,000 legionaries 2,000 cavalry 600 transports[2] 28 warships[3]	Unknown

In the course of his Gallic Wars, Julius Caesar invaded Britain twice: in 55 and 54 BC.^[4] On the first occasion, Caesar took with him only two legions, and achieved little beyond a landing on the coast of Kent. The second invasion consisted of 800 ships, five legions and 2,000 cavalry. The force was so imposing that the Celtic Britons did not contest Caesar's landing, waiting instead until he began to move inland.^[3] Caesar eventually penetrated into Middlesex and crossed the Thames, forcing the British warlord Cassivellaunus to pay tribute to Rome and setting up Mandubracius of the Trinovantes as a client king. The Romans then returned to Gaul without conquering any territory.

Caesar included accounts of both invasions in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico, which contains the earliest surviving significant eyewitness descriptions of the island's people, culture and geography. This is effectively the start of the written history, or at least the protohistory, of Great Britain.