Cassi facts for kids
The Cassi were an ancient tribe who lived in Britain during the Iron Age, over 2,000 years ago. We only know about them because they were mentioned briefly by the famous Roman general, Julius Caesar. Some historians think they might have been one of the four main tribes living in the area we now call Kent.
The Cassi and Julius Caesar
In 54 BCE, the famous Roman general Julius Caesar led his second invasion of Britain. After some battles, Caesar helped a king named Mandubracius get his power back over the Trinovantes tribe. This made some Britons unhappy, and they united against the Romans under a leader named Cassivellaunus.
However, not all British tribes agreed with Cassivellaunus. Caesar wrote that five different British tribes, including the Cassi, sent messengers to his Roman camp. These tribes wanted to make peace with Caesar. They even agreed to tell him where Cassivellaunus's main fort was located.
Caesar then surrounded Cassivellaunus's fort and forced him to agree to terms. When Caesar left Britain, he took some people from the British tribes as hostages. This was a way to make sure the tribes would keep their promises. It's not clear which specific tribes had to give hostages.
What Happened to the Cassi?
Historians like Graham Webster and Barry Cunliffe agree that we don't know much more about the Cassi tribe after Caesar's time. However, some people believe that the Cassi, along with other tribes like the Ancalites and Bibroci, might have joined together. They may have become part of a larger, more powerful tribe called the Catuvellauni before the full Roman invasion in AD 43. It's also thought that Cassivellaunus, the leader who fought Caesar, might have originally been a member of the Cassi tribe himself.
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