Classis Britannica

The Classis Britannica, abbreviation CLBR, was the Fleet of the Roman Navy in Britain. ‘Classis’ in Latin means ‘Navy’. CLBR was stamped into the tiles used in their forts.
It was formed for the Roman Conquest of Britannia in 43 CE and afterwards protected the Sea Crossing in the Strait of Dover.

The Fleet’s main Base was originally in Boulogne, Gallia Belgica, opposite Dover.
After the Roman Conquest of Britannia, it built bases along the southeast coast of Britannia, which are known as the Saxon Shore Forts.
The Fleet operated a chain of sea forts in southeastern Britain, located between Portsmouth Harbour and the Wash.
During the construction of Hadrian's Wall, the Classis Britannica built the Granaries at Benwell Hill and Halton Chesters and supplied the Grain.

The Fleet commander was the Count of the Saxon Shore, also known as the ‘Comes Littoris Saxonici’, who was in overall command of the Saxon Shore Forts.

In c.286 CE, Maximian made Carausius Commander of the Classis Britannica, with instructions to defeat the Saxon and Frankish pirates.
Instead, Carausius declared Britannia to be independent and himself as ‘Emperor of the North’.
The Carausian Revolt (286-296 CE) occurred 13 years after the demise of the Gallic Empire (an independent State between 260-274 CE).
Carausius seceded Britannia from Rome, along with northern Gaul. He held the three British Legions, the British Fleet and another Legion from Gaul, along with various mercenary units.
Carausius was assassinated by Allectus his finance minister. Allectus then ruled Britannia for another three years, until a Roman invasion fleet sailed in 296 CE from Boulogne, commanded by Constantius I Chlorus, who defeated Allectus and reoccupied Britannia.

In Latin it means the ‘List of Offices’ and the document includes both Civil and Military Posts in each Province and their location in the Eastern and Western Empires.
The document mentions the Saxon Shore Forts.

Vegetius (c. 390-450 CE) was a 5th century CE Roman military historian, who wrote a military handbook called ‘De Re Militaris’.
In it he refers to Naval Warfare in Book IV, Siege Machines and Naval Warfare (chapters 31-46)
In chapters 38-43, he mentions a vessel of the Roman Navy in Britannia called a Picati, a local name apparently used by the Britons. It was a scouting galley with 40 oars, attached to larger Warships. The vessel either shadowed enemy convoys or attacked them, operating by day and night.
To conceal themselves, the crews and vessels used a blue dye. The sails and rigging were dyed Venetian blue. the vessel sides were covered in a blue wax and the sailors and marines also wore Venetian blue uniforms.

Dover Roman Lighthouse