A statute of Boudica
(not Boadicea) may be seen in London,
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| Boudica statue near Westminster Pier, London - 2007 (by Sergio "srgblog" - CC BY-SA 2.0) |
Dio Cassius, the Roman
historian, described Boudica the woman who led the largest British revolt
against the Romans in these terms. “In appearance terrifying, in the glance of
her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh, a great mass of tawniest hair
fell down to her hips.”
Our prompt picture looks
a bit feeble in comparison.
Boudica was the wife
of Prasutagus, the so-called client king of the Iceni tribe in what is now East
Anglia.
The Roman client kingdoms were
formed from native tribes who chose to align themselves with
the Roman Empire and who saw
it as the best option for self-preservation or for protection from other
hostile tribes. Also the Romans created (or enlisted) some client kingdoms where they felt
influence without direct rule was desirable. At his death Prasutagus in
AD 60 had left half his possessions to the emperor Nero, expecting thus would
protect his kingdom and his family. It didn’t.
The Romans sacked his palace, seizing Icenian land and his daughters’
inheritance. Boudica was flogged and her daughters, age 10 and 12, brutally
raped.
Enraged, Boudica and the Iceni swept south torching the Roman towns of
Camulodunum (Colchester), Londinium (London) and Verulamium (St Albans).
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| Balkerne Gate, Colchester - 2006 (By David Hapgood - CC BY-SA 2.0) |
[The Balkerne Gate is the largest Roman Arch in Britain, Colchester and its wall were rebuilt by the Romans (not the pub!) after Queen Boudica led the rebellion in AD 60. Camulodunum ("Fortress of Camulos"), originally a Celtic settlement became the first Roman town]
Governor Suetonius Paullinus who had been away trying to eliminated the
druids in Anglesey returned with his troops and crushed the Iceni in battle.
Boudica is said to have poisoned herself.
For more horrid or less horrid histories don't forget to take a look at Sepia-Saturday-186.
