Suetonius Paulinus

Gaius Suetonius Paulinus was a notable Roman General and Governor of Britannia who defeated Boudicca during Boudicca's Revolt (60-61 CE).
He is also noted for having crossed the Sahara and made its inhabitants a Roman Client Kingdom.

In 41 CE He was made Legatus Legionis and sent to quell a Revolt in Mauretania. During this time, he crossed the Atlas mountains and explored the Sahara.
In 50 CE Suetonius Paulinus invaded the Garamantes and they became a Roman Client Kingdom until the third century CE. He used a Roman Camel Corps to cross the Sahara.

In 60 BCE, Paulinus successfully invaded Anglesey, with the Legio XX Valeria Victrix.
However, taking advantage of Paulinus’ invasion, the southeastern Tribes of Britannia organised a Revolt under the Iceni.

Two Legions were paralysed, the Legio II Augusta became trapped in its base at Exeter and the Legio IX Hispana was eliminated en-route to Colchester.
Paulinus left the Legio XX Valeria Victrix and rushed to London but had to leave it undefended and fell back to Watling Street.
The populations of the cities of Colchester, London and St. Albans were massacred by Boudicca’s army, which then moved to crush Paulinus’ Legions.

The two armies met at an unknown point on Watling Street. Paulinus had two Legions and their Auxiliaries, Legio XX Valeria Victrix and the Legio XIV Gemina giving him 10,000 men. Queen Boudicca had either 100,000 or 230,000 warriors depending on different sources.
Paulinus used the Wedge Formation Tactic despite being outnumbered 10 to 1. The result was a rout and the Romans massacred the Britons and their followers.
The Battle marked the end of resistance to Roman Rule in southern Britain, although the Brigantes in the North continued to resist until 80 CE.

Paulinus continued to oppress the Britons so harshly that Classicianus, the Procurator of Britannia, feared a new revolt and informed Nero. Nero then sent his Freedman Polyclitus to investigate who found a reason to replace Paulinus with a new Governor, Turpilianus.
Paulinus was recalled to Rome.

In 66 CE he was appointed Consul in Rome by Nero.
In 69 CE, after Nero‘s suicide, during the Year of the Four Emperors he supported Otho, but was pardoned by Vitellius.

After Nero‘s death, Paulinus became a General under Otho in 69 CE, but lost the battle to Vitellius who pardoned him.
Paulinus disappears from the record after this.

Wroxeter on Watling Street