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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| 'The Romans may as well have had lasers' | 'The Romans may as well have had lasers' |
| (2 days later) | |
| Rome invaded Britain in AD43, using four legions, and would stay for about 350 years | Rome invaded Britain in AD43, using four legions, and would stay for about 350 years |
| An author believes he has discovered a previously unknown battle involving a famous lost Roman legion. | An author believes he has discovered a previously unknown battle involving a famous lost Roman legion. |
| Using clues from aerial photography and chance finds in fields, archaeologist and Roman expert Simon Elliott thinks he has identified a major engagement involving the Ninth Legion in Derbyshire. | Using clues from aerial photography and chance finds in fields, archaeologist and Roman expert Simon Elliott thinks he has identified a major engagement involving the Ninth Legion in Derbyshire. |
| The Ninth was part of the invasion force which arrived in Britain in AD43 but vanished from the record about 80 years later. | |
| Dr Elliott believes the evidence indicates superior Roman artillery technology led to an overwhelming victory, claiming: "The Romans may as well have had lasers." | Dr Elliott believes the evidence indicates superior Roman artillery technology led to an overwhelming victory, claiming: "The Romans may as well have had lasers." |
| Drone and Lidar views of Markland Grips shows its formidable natural position | Drone and Lidar views of Markland Grips shows its formidable natural position |
| Roman sources show four legions took part in the invasion, each one driving in a different direction to subdue any opposition. | Roman sources show four legions took part in the invasion, each one driving in a different direction to subdue any opposition. |
| The Ninth marched into the Midlands, establishing a presence at Leicester before pushing north. | |
| While it is known this part of the Army went on to set up a fortress in Lincoln, what happened in between has never been resolved. | |
| But Dr Elliott, who has written a number of books on the Roman military, believes he has found substantial clues indicating the advance was marked by a battle near Creswell. | But Dr Elliott, who has written a number of books on the Roman military, believes he has found substantial clues indicating the advance was marked by a battle near Creswell. |
| "There are famous Roman sites in the south, and famous Roman sites in the north, but round here is a bit of a gap," he says. | "There are famous Roman sites in the south, and famous Roman sites in the north, but round here is a bit of a gap," he says. |
| The known ancient site at Camp Hill (left) may have a twin revealed in a Lidar image of a nearby field (right) | The known ancient site at Camp Hill (left) may have a twin revealed in a Lidar image of a nearby field (right) |
| Markland Grips, near Creswell, is a known Iron Age fort and nearby is Camp Hill, thought to have been a temporary Roman camp. | |
| Dr Elliott has used aerial photos and Lidar - a remote sensing method that uses a pulsed laser to measure distances to the ground - to study the area. | Dr Elliott has used aerial photos and Lidar - a remote sensing method that uses a pulsed laser to measure distances to the ground - to study the area. |
| He believes his investigation has potentially revealed a second camp, with a distinctive playing card shaped layout, nearby. | He believes his investigation has potentially revealed a second camp, with a distinctive playing card shaped layout, nearby. |
| But even more intriguing, he says, are two inconspicuous areas of disturbed ground nearby. | But even more intriguing, he says, are two inconspicuous areas of disturbed ground nearby. |
| "To me the camps are a smoking gun," he adds. | "To me the camps are a smoking gun," he adds. |
| "It's an absolutely page one Roman siege technique." | |
| Arrow and stone throwing machines allowed the Romans to bombard defences from a distance | Arrow and stone throwing machines allowed the Romans to bombard defences from a distance |
| Famed for its order and discipline, the Roman military would approach fortifications in a methodical way. | Famed for its order and discipline, the Roman military would approach fortifications in a methodical way. |
| "It comes across a centre of resistance - in this case a hill fort - and it puts two camps to the north and south to seal it off," explains Dr Elliott. | "It comes across a centre of resistance - in this case a hill fort - and it puts two camps to the north and south to seal it off," explains Dr Elliott. |
| "And those two levelled off areas, sited on a rise 30 metres above the fort, are the perfect place for artillery platforms, to bombard the area inside. | "And those two levelled off areas, sited on a rise 30 metres above the fort, are the perfect place for artillery platforms, to bombard the area inside. |
| "The fort, with its triple ditch and bank closing off the headland is brilliant if you are fighting another Iron Age people, but it is completely useless against artillery." | "The fort, with its triple ditch and bank closing off the headland is brilliant if you are fighting another Iron Age people, but it is completely useless against artillery." |
| Dr Elliott says the native tribespeople - the Corieltauvi - would "never have seen anything like this before". | Dr Elliott says the native tribespeople - the Corieltauvi - would "never have seen anything like this before". |
| "The psychological impact of missiles, either rocks or bolts or both, plunging into what they would have thought was a safe area, would have been huge," he claims. | "The psychological impact of missiles, either rocks or bolts or both, plunging into what they would have thought was a safe area, would have been huge," he claims. |
| Two areas of disturbed ground overlooking the fort have been suggested as sites for artillery | Two areas of disturbed ground overlooking the fort have been suggested as sites for artillery |
| After the barrage, Dr Elliott says those in the fort "would have surrendered, or the legion would have assaulted it". | After the barrage, Dr Elliott says those in the fort "would have surrendered, or the legion would have assaulted it". |
| "I think the battle of Creswell would have been quite a short-lived affair," he adds. | |
| Dr Elliott acknowledges a few shadows on satellite images are not definitive proof but he has more evidence. | Dr Elliott acknowledges a few shadows on satellite images are not definitive proof but he has more evidence. |
| He has spoken to farmers nearby who say they have "turned up a fair bit of material" from their fields. | He has spoken to farmers nearby who say they have "turned up a fair bit of material" from their fields. |
| "This includes a weight from a groma, a Roman surveying tool used only by legionaries, and a piece of armour, known as lorica segmentata, which was worn only by the legions," he explains. | "This includes a weight from a groma, a Roman surveying tool used only by legionaries, and a piece of armour, known as lorica segmentata, which was worn only by the legions," he explains. |
| Farmers have found Roman items, some possibly military, in surrounding fields over the years | Farmers have found Roman items, some possibly military, in surrounding fields over the years |
| This leads Dr Elliott to paint a vivid picture of how the Roman occupation arrived in this part of the Midlands. | |
| "The Ninth Legion, nearly 6,000 men, would have advanced on quite a wide front, perhaps 30km across," he said. | |
| "Legionaries would have been in the centre, with the auxiliary foot soldiers to the sides and cavalry on the wings. | "Legionaries would have been in the centre, with the auxiliary foot soldiers to the sides and cavalry on the wings. |
| "When they met resistance in their advance, a speed bump to their progress, they would have clicked into a well-practiced routine of isolation, intimidation and if necessary, attack." | |
| Will Bowden, professor of Roman archaeology at the University of Nottingham, said: "It is often difficult to clearly identify single events in the archaeological record, as they don't leave a big enough trace, and often can't be sufficiently closely dated to associate them with events attested in textual sources. | Will Bowden, professor of Roman archaeology at the University of Nottingham, said: "It is often difficult to clearly identify single events in the archaeological record, as they don't leave a big enough trace, and often can't be sufficiently closely dated to associate them with events attested in textual sources. |
| "But it's quite a plausible scenario but it would need further investigation to confirm it." | "But it's quite a plausible scenario but it would need further investigation to confirm it." |
| An inscription from York, dated AD108, is the last definitive mention of the Ninth Legion | An inscription from York, dated AD108, is the last definitive mention of the Ninth Legion |
| The Ninth Legion may have had little problem dealing with the defenders of Markland Grips, but it went on to face a difficult future. | The Ninth Legion may have had little problem dealing with the defenders of Markland Grips, but it went on to face a difficult future. |
| After founding the fortress at Lincoln, part of the unit was badly beaten as it rushed to deal with the Boudiccan revolt in AD61. | After founding the fortress at Lincoln, part of the unit was badly beaten as it rushed to deal with the Boudiccan revolt in AD61. |
| It recovered enough to take part in campaigning in Britain and to found York in AD71, only to face further serious losses during a night attack on its camp during the conquest of modern-day Scotland in AD82–83. | It recovered enough to take part in campaigning in Britain and to found York in AD71, only to face further serious losses during a night attack on its camp during the conquest of modern-day Scotland in AD82–83. |
| But within decades, it had vanished from the record. The last firm evidence is an inscription from York from AD108. | But within decades, it had vanished from the record. The last firm evidence is an inscription from York from AD108. |
| The mystery of its fate has fuelled several works of fiction and is still the subject of lively scholarly debate. | The mystery of its fate has fuelled several works of fiction and is still the subject of lively scholarly debate. |
| Dr Elliot said: "The battle at Markland Grips was just the first phase of Roman occupation. | Dr Elliot said: "The battle at Markland Grips was just the first phase of Roman occupation. |
| "The landscape here also shows clues to how Rome settled and ruled the area - there is so much more to discover." | "The landscape here also shows clues to how Rome settled and ruled the area - there is so much more to discover." |
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