Ancalites facts for kids
The Ancalites were an ancient tribe from the Iron Age in Britain, around 2000 years ago. We only know about them from a short mention by the famous Roman leader, Julius Caesar. They might have been one of the four main tribes living in Kent, a region in southeast England. Caesar wrote about "four kings of that region," which could refer to these tribes.
Ancalites and Julius Caesar
During Julius Caesar's second invasion of Britain in 54 BCE, he had great success. He helped restore King Mandubracius to power over the Trinovantes tribe. This caused some Britons to support the Romans, while others opposed them. The main leader against the Romans was Cassivellaunus.
Caesar recorded that five British tribes sent messengers to his Roman camp. These tribes wanted to make peace. The Ancalites were one of them. The others were the Bibroci, the Segontiaci, the Cenimagni, and the Cassi. These tribes agreed to tell Caesar where Cassivellaunus's main fort was located. Caesar then attacked the fort and made Cassivellaunus agree to his terms. When Caesar left Britain, he took some people as hostages from the Britons. It is not clear which tribes had to give hostages.
Where Did They Live?
We do not know exactly where the Ancalites lived. In the 1500s, a historian named William Camden thought they might have lived near Henley in Oxfordshire. Some people in Wiltshire also claim the Ancalites as part of their history. If this were true, it would mean they lived in a very large area. However, without archaeological proof, we cannot be sure where their territory was.
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