The Worst Roman Battle Tactic in History

The Romans left an outstanding legacy of innovation and adaptability rarely matched by any other ancient civilization. But like any great civilization, or for that matter, almost anything in life, they also had a few shortcomings. Among their missteps, this battle tactic stands as one of their greatest failures, remembered for its lack of foresight and disastrous consequences.

To comprehend why this tactic represents the most flawed strategy employed by the Romans, it is essential to first grasp their motivations for using it.

The Roman campaign in present-day Britain focused on conquering and establishing control over the island. This military endeavor commenced in 43 AD under the rule of Emperor Claudius. The Romans faced fierce opposition from Celtic tribes during these campaigns, made even more difficult by the local terrain’s marshy nature.

Stilts in marshy lands, the worst Roman battle tactic in history

Since the Romans carried out their campaign in marshy lands, specifically in eastern and southern England, they had to improvise their tactics so their soldiers could successfully fight in the terrain.

To move through the mud in the region, the Romans decided to equip their soldiers with stilts. The logic was that this would let them move through the marshy lands more comfortably. This was not the case. Stilts severely limited Roman soldiers in the actions they could realize in battle, therefore leaving them exposed to attacks by the Celtic tribes.

The stilts prevented Roman soldiers from sinking into the mud they couldn’t maneuver rapidly, making them an easy target for Celtic warriors who were far more familiar with the terrain, and therefore more agile.

This is why using stilts during the Roman-British campaigns is widely one of the most ineffective strategies in their historical endeavors. Instead of making their soldiers stronger, they made them weaker.

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The strategy was so bad it seriously hindered the Roman campaign in Britain

The Roman stilt strategy proved devastating for the Romans in terms of immediate loss of life during the campaign and in their long-term efforts to conquer Britain.

The Romans had to withdraw from the marshlands due to the ineffectiveness of their tactics, opting not to establish their dominance in more strategically defensible areas like the grasslands.

This retreat also caused many Celtic tribes to unite against their invaders, paving the way for the rise of leaders like Cararacus and Boudica. The defeat also served as a cautionary tale for the Romans, as despite their overwhelming technological superiority, they produced one of the worst battle tactics in their legendary military history.