Battle of Camulodunum Battle of Camulodunum The Battle of Camulodunum, also known as the Massacre of the Ninth Legion, (60 or 61 AD) was the major military victory of the Iceni and their allies over an organised Roman army during the revolt of Boudica against the Roman occupation of Britain. A large vexillation of the "Legio IX Hispana" were destroyed by the rebels. Attempting to relieve the besieged "colonia" of Camulodunum (Colchester, Essex), legionaries of the Legio IX Hispana led by Quintus Petillius Cerialis, were attacked by a horde of British tribes, led by the Iceni. Possibly 80% of the Roman foot-soldiers were
Battle of Camulodunum killed in the battle. The event is recorded by the historian Tacitus in his "Annals". In AD 60 or 61, the southeastern area of the island rose in revolt under Boudica, while the governor, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, was campaigning in Wales. The Iceni were joined by the Trinovantes, and their first target was Camulodunum, formerly the Trinovantian capital, now a "colonia" or settlement of discharged Roman soldiers. Tacitus reports it was poorly defended, and archaeology confirms its former military fortifications had been levelled by this time. The colonists appealed for aid to the procurator, Catus Decianus, who sent only two