Battlefields›Siege of Maiden Castle
Roman Period

Siege of Maiden Castle

43–44
Dorset, England
Also known as: Roman assault on Maiden Castle · Vespasian at Maiden Castle
Era
Roman Period
Battle Type
Siege
Location
Dorset, England
Status
Registered
The Combatants

Who Fought

Defeated
Durotriges
Forces
Durotriges c. 2,000–4,000
VS
Victor
Romans (Legio II Augusta)
Forces
Romans (II Augusta) c. 5,000–7,000
Outcome
Hillfort stormed and abandoned; civilian dead buried in war cemetery
The Battle

History & Significance

Vespasian stormed the Durotriges hillfort at Maiden Castle; excavated war cemetery with ballista bolts confirms the Roman assault.

Casualties & Losses

Hundreds of Durotriges defenders

Registered Historic Battlefield

This battlefield is listed on the Register of Historic Battlefields — a national designation identifying Britain's most significant battle sites for protection and further research.

Questions & Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Protected heritage nearby

Scheduled Monuments near Siege of Maiden Castle

Round barrows on Ridgeway
Scheduled monument · ~1.3 miles
Group of round barrows W of Ridgeway Hill
Scheduled monument · ~1.5 miles
Round barrow on Ridgeway Hill
Scheduled monument · ~1.6 miles
Six barrows on Ridgeway Hill
Scheduled monument · ~1.7 miles
Two round barrows N of Bincombe Barn
Scheduled monument · ~1.7 miles
More from this era

Other Roman Period Battles

Battle of the Medway
43
Kent, England
Assault on Hod Hill
43
Dorset, England
Caesar's Second Invasion — Thames Crossing and Cassivellaunus Stronghold (54 BC)
-54
Essex, England
Caesar Second Invasion — Kent Resistance 54 BC
-54
Kent, England
Aubrey Research

Explore the landscape around Dorset

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any location in Britain — drawing on Domesday records, scheduled monuments, Victorian OS maps, geological data and archaeological archives to tell the full story of a place.

Research a location near Dorset
All Battlefields