Caesar was reassured by this handing over of hostages and reassembled his troops. The wind blew strongly from the east and he landed in Richborough. [IV.9]

As Vespasian was preparing to land in Richborough, Arvirargus had brought such a large force of armed men with him that he scared the Romans and they were afraid to come ashore lest he should attack them. Vespasian therefore withdrew from that port, turned his sails and came ashore near Totnes. [IV.16]

RICHBOROUGH appears first in the Historia in the account of the Roman wars. The area is now landlocked some two miles from the seashore, but it was, Tatlock points out, at the end of a Roman road (p. 35) (Watling Street, the road to CANTERBURY and LONDON). The most common route to the continent, in both Roman and medieval times, was Richborough-Boulogne (p. 35). The Roman significance of the area is explored on the Richborough Roman Fort English Heritage page, and at Open Sandwich's Rutupiae page.

Surrounded by his enormous army, in which he placed his hope, Mordred marched to meet Arthur as soon as the latter landed at Richborough. In the battle which ensued Mordred inflicted great slaughter on those who were trying to land. Auguselus, the King of Albany, and Gawain, the King's nephew, died that day, together with many others too numerous to describe. [XI.1]

The city also appears as the site of Arthur's first battle with Mordred-- the battle in which Gawain is killed.