Publius Ostorius Scapula

Publius Ostorius Scapula (died 52) was a Roman statesman and general who governed Britain from 47 until his death, and was responsible for the defeat and capture of Caratacus.

He apparently (based on an emendation of a corrupt passage in Tacitus's Annals) declared his intention to disarm all the Britons south and east of the rivers Trent and Severn.

This was quickly suppressed but revealed the dangers in the Romans' client kingdom system of which the Brigantes were a part; troops from the Legio XIV Gemina were stationed in the area to keep the Brigantian peace.

Ostorius initiated further Romanisation during his command in the safer southern lands, founding Britain's first colony of military veterans at Camulodunum (modern Colchester) in 49 and probably establishing a municipium at Verulamium (St Albans).

Although Ostorius was concerned at the seemingly impregnable defences, Tacitus records that the eagerness and loyalty of his troops persuaded him to attack and in the end the Britons were easily defeated.

The Silures had been galvanised by Ostorius' ill-thought out threats to destroy them and began taking Roman prisoners as hostages and distributing them amongst their neighbouring tribes.

Ostorius died unexpectedly in 52, supposedly "worn out with care" as Tacitus puts it, leaving Rome with a growing problem on its British frontiers.

[1] Silurian raids continued, defeating a legion led by Gaius Manlius Valens, before Aulus Didius Gallus arrived as replacement governor.