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Boudicca was queen of the Iceni, an important Cletic tribe in in eastern Britain (modern East Anglia). She became queen as wife of Prasutagus. The Romans conquered southern England (43 AD). As part of their policy of conquering Britain with limited forces, they allowed Prasutagus to continue to rule after he acknowledged Roman authority. The Romans issued the Lex Iulia de vi publica which among other matters prohibited civilians from possesing military arms. The Iceni resented this and other aspects of Roman rule. Discontent simmered among the still unconquered Iceni. When their chief Prasutagus died, Roman Governor Gaius Suetonius Paullinus decided to rule the Iceni directly without the the traditional leadership. He saw this as a way of more effectively exploiting the Iceni and cementing control. As part of the process, Paullinus confiscated the property of the Iceni leadership. Tradition also says that he had Boudicca pubically stripped and flogged. Her daughters were raped, perhaps an action to brutally demonstrate Roman authority. These and other actions only increased already widespread resistance to Roman rule among the Iceni and neighboring tribes. Paullinus moved his attention west to North Wales. Boudicca and the Iceni used this distraction to rebel. Other Celtic tribes joined them. This posed a major threat to Roman rule. As with Ceasar in Gaul, a relatively small Roman force had proved succssful in Britain by fighting one or a small group of tribes in localized combat. There was no unified Celtic resistance to them. The cloest such resistance came with Boudicca who became a warrior queen.
Boudicca's undisiplined fighters defeated the Roman Ninth Legion and proceeded to destroy the capital of Roman Britain, then developing at what became Colchester. Next they destroyed Londinium and Verulamium (St Albans). Thousands of Romans in those developing cities were put to the sword. Paulinus defeated Boudicca's much largrer army. The more disciplined Roman Army prevailed aginst the poorly led Celts. Huge numbers of the Celtic warriors were killed. Boudicca is believed to have poisoned herself to avoid capture and display in chains at a Roman triumph. The site of the battle is lost to history.
Boudicca was queen of the Iceni, an important Cletic tribe in in eastern Britain (modern East Anglia). She became queen as wife of Prasutagus.
Julius Caesar while campaining in Gaul launched two expeditions accross the Channel (55 and 54 BC). Ceasar decided against a major military expedition. It is not enirely sure why. His focus at the time was on Gaul. Presumably he concluded the conquest would not justify the expense, especially when the situation in Gaul itself was not yet settled. Ceaser did, however, report on these explots to his adoring public back in Rome. The subsequent Roman invasion came a century later. Roman attempted to bring Britain within the Empire through diplomatic initiatives. By the time Rome initiated the conquest of Britain, Gaul had been firmly Romanized. Rome's new emperor, Claudius (43 AD), athorized The invasion. It was Claudiu's first foreign expedition. Successful military expeditions were important in establishing a prestigious reputation. Claudius assigned Aulus Plautius to carry out the invasion. The Britons were a Celtic people, related to the tribes of Gaul which Ceasar had conquered. The British proved to be a substantial military challenge, taking several decades to accomplish. Eventually Roman armies subjugated the British Celts and the era of Roman Britain began.
The Romans issued the Lex Iulia de vi publica which among other matters prohibited civilians from possesing military arms. The Iceni resented this and other aspects of Roman rule. Discontent simmered among the still unconquered Iceni.
Emperor Nero appointed Suetonius Paullinus governor of Bruitain (58). He was a specialist in mountain warfare. And thus pursued campaigns in northern Wales, a Celtic stronhold. He took Anglesey. He was there when the Iceni and allied Trinovantes tribe rose against Rome. They were led by Boudicca who emerged as a warrior queen.
When the Iceni chief Prasutagus died, a new Roman Governor, Gaius Suetonius Paullinus, decided to rule the Iceni directly without the the traditional leadership. He saw this as a way of more effectively exploiting the Iceni and cementing control. As part of the process, Paullinus confiscated the property of the Iceni leadership. Tradition also says that he had Boudicca pubically stripped and flogged. Her daughters were raped, perhaps an action to brutally demonstrate Roman authority. These and other actions only increased already widespread resistance to Roman rule among the Iceni and neighboring tribes.
A reader reports, "I was watching a film set at the time of Boudicca. Celtic pre-teen boys were ambushing the Roman soldiers and throwing stones at them. The Celtic children play a major part in the rebellion too. They some how or other get behind the Roman soldiers and act like 'devils' They do violent acts and decapitate the Roman Govenor of Colchester." This may have occurred during Bouducca's revolt, but we doubt if it was very common. Boys throwing stones at Roman soldiers would have had to be very close, cloese enough that the soldiers could retaliate. Unfortunately, people who make movies are rarely concerned about historical accuracy. Thus we see depictions of the Battle of Stirling Bridge without the all important bridge. Perhaps this scene was included because in modern times we have incidents with Palistinian boys throwing rocks at Israeli soldiers and catholic boys in Ulster throwing rocks at British soldiers. Despite propaganda depictions of brutal Israel and British behavior, such actions were possible only because the Israelis and British exercised restraint dealing with children. We doubt that Roman soldiers would have exercized such restraint. We suspect that the Roman response would be more like that of German soldiers during World War II. This is why you do not read about children in occupied Europe therowing rocks at the Germans.
Paullinus moved his attention west to North Wales. Boudicca and the Iceni used this distraction to rebel about a decade into Riman rule. Britain had not yet been Romanized and the Iceni had not yet forgotten the old ways.
Other Celtic tribes, especially the Trinovantes, joined them. This posed a major threat to Roman rule. As with Ceasar in Gaul, a relatively small Roman force had proved succssful in Britain by fighting one or a small group of tribes in localized combat. There was no unified Celtic resistance to them. The cloest such resistance came with Boudicca who became a warrior queen. One of the first actions was stormed the colonia at Colchester, this was the a settlement for retired legionaries which had grown up around the fortress base at Colchester which had become the capital of the new Roman provibce of Britain. Boudicca's undisiplined fighters defeated the unprepared Roman Ninth Legion which had becone a garrison force. They buned the capital of Roman Britain. Next they moved south and destroyed Londinium. This was a settlent lagely populate by merchants around the bridge built over the Thames. The Iceni next moved on Verulamium (St Albans). This had been the capital of the Catuvellauni, another client tribe. The city had been given the signal honor of a self-governing town (municipium). The rebels burnt the city to the griund and put its people to the sword. This was not a gentle rebellion, thousands of Romans and Celts in the developing cities were put to the sword, men, women, and children. The city was a Roman innovation. Thus any one in a city was seen as a Roman or a Celtic traitor.
Boudicca in the end would fail because the revolt does not appear to have spread south of the Thames. It must be remembered that despite the Roman invasion, there was no sebce of natinal idenity among Cleltic Britons. Their allegince was like the Iceni tribal. Bioudicca failed to obtain thesupport of many other tribes. A oriblem here was the long history of tribal infighing. It was difficult to negotiate an alliance with traditional enemies. And it unclear to what extent she even tried. And client tribes seeing tge Iceni putting both Romans and other Clts to the swir were not motivated to support the Iceni. Most important was the client chief of the Regni, Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus (probably Togidubnus) who as Tacitus explained, 'remained loyal down to our own time' and is described inan inscription at his capital, Chichester, 'Great King of Britain'.
Paulinus did not immediately move to confront Boudicca's army. Hefirst assebled his forces. And he eventually chose terraine that maximized the power of his well-trained army against a much larger Iceni forece. With his flanks protected. The Iceni had to frontally charged the well armed and armored Romans.
Paulinus defeated Boudicca'a much larger but undisciplined army. The more disciplined Roman Army prevailed aginst the poorly led Celts. Huge numbers of the Celtic warriors were killed. Boudicca is believed to have poisoned herself to avoid capture and display in chains at a Roman triumph. The site of the battle is lost to history.
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