ANGLESEY

WALES

There was an important religious cult focus on the eastern coast of the island, next to the Menai Strait. Normally the Romans left native temples and sanctuaries alone, but this one was singled out for destruction. It was thought to be an important focus of Druidical power, and Suetonius Paulinus took his troops there to put it out of action once and for all. Tacitus described the attack:

He prepared to attack the island of Mona [Anglesey], which had a powerful population and was a refuge for fugitives. He built flat-bottomed boats to cope with the shallows. In this way the infantry crossed [the Menai Straits], while the cavalry followed by fording or swimming by the side of their horses.

On the shore opposite stood the opposing army with its dense array of armed warriors, while between the ranks dashed women, in black attire like the Furies, with hair dishevelled. All around, the Druids, with hands uplifted, invoked the gods and poured forth horrible imprecations. The novelty of the sight struck the Romans with awe and terror, so that as if they were paralyzed they stood motionless, exposed to wounds.

Then, urged by their general’s appeals and mutual encouragement not to quail before a troop of frenzied women, they bore the standards onwards and beat down all resistance, and wrapped the Britons of their own torches. A garrison was established to keep the conquered in subjection, and their groves, dedicated to superstition and barbarous rites, were levelled to the ground. They [the Britons] deemed it a duty to cover their altars with the blood of captives and to consult their gods through human entrails.

Whether Suetonius Paulinus was correctly informed or not about the importance of the sanctuary on Anglesey or the Druids is impossible to know, but the Druids were widely suspected of being subversive; they were regarded as enemies of Rome. It may not be a coincidence that at exactly that moment the Boudiccan revolt erupted in England (see People: Boudicca). Suetonius Paulinus had to get his troops across Britain quickly to put down the rebellion.