Boudicca (Boadicea) and
Roman Britain Boadicea is often regarded as the first British
patriot. Her revolt in 60 AD struck fear into the occupying Roman forces.
Trouble in Anglia. In 60 A.D., while Roman troops were busy
in the final battle with the Druids
on Anglesey Island (Wales), trouble arose in East Anglia. To understand
what happened, you have to go back to the idea of client kingship. The Iceni
tribe, centred in the modern Norfolk, had reached an accommodation
with the Romans, keeping their own territory in exchange for not making
a fuss.
Beginnings of the Revolt. The Iceni king, Prasutagas, decided
that it would be prudent to make his will assigning half of his personal
property to the Roman emperor. When he died the Roman officials decided
to interpret his will as a submission to the Roman state, so they
moved to appropriate all of the Iceni lands and disarm the tribe.
Prasutagas's widow, Boudicca (or Boadicea as she is sometimes known)
protested. The Romans had her flogged and her daughters were raped.
This high handed treatment of an ostensible ally had predictable results.
Queen Boudicca raised the Iceni and the neighbouring Trinivantes tribe
in revolt against Roman rule.
The Course of the Conflict. They struck at symbols of the Roman
occupation, and they weren't gentle. The capital at Colchester was
burned, as was London and Verulamium, near modern St.Alban's. Boudicca's
treatment of her enemies was fierce and she must have given the Romans
a terrific scare. One legion was so terrified that they refused to
move against her. She was eventually brought to bay at an unknown
site by a much smaller force of Roman troops. The battle turned against
her when the Celts became entangled with their own camp followers
and were massacred. Boudicca herself took poison rather than face
capture.
Consequences of the Revolt. The upshot of the Boudiccan revolt
was that Icenai territory was ravaged and much of the province was
put under military rule. There is a tendency to think of Boudicca
as a great patriotic leader of the British, perhaps the first national
heroine. But, honestly, she isn't a very appealing character. She
exacted indiscriminate and ferocious vengeance on many of her fellow
British Celts who had the misfortune to live in the wrong place.
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