Baudicca

Boudicca of the Iceni

By Michelle Munro

In first century AD, Britain was a Roman province made up of series of client-kingdoms. Its natives were the Celtic tribes who were well known for their passionate war spirit and mystical Druid priests. It was a land wrestling with two destinies and it was into this atmosphere that, in 30 AD, Boudicca was born.

While there are no records of her youth, it is known that at age eighteen, Boudicca married Prasutagus, King of the Iceni tribe. Occupying the lands of Norfolk and Suffolk in eastern Britain, the Icenis were a wealthy tribe, having amassed great fortune through trade. Given the era in which she lived, Boudicca led a decent life. She gave birth to two daughters, Camorra and Tasca, and shared a happy marriage with Prasutagus. She was tall, smart, and intimidating and, as was ordinary for Celtic women, fought many battles alongside her husband.

The greatest test of her spirit began in 61 AD when King Prasutagus became ill and died. In an effort to appease the Roman government and better ensure the safety of his family, he willed half his estate to Rome and half to his adolescent daughters. His wife was to serve as Queen until the girls were of age.

While British law allowed monarchies to pass on to daughters in cases of there being no male heir, Roman law did not. Emperor Nero declared Prasutagus’ will a submission to Rome and just days into mourning her beloved husband, Boudicca faced occupation.

Strong and proud, she refused to accept the domination of her tribe peacefully. She fiercely protested and the Romans decided to silence her. Boudicca and her daughters were taken hostage and brutalized by their captors. All three were strapped down; Boudicca flogged while her virgin daughters raped. At the same time the rest of the Roman encampment took possession of the Iceni lands and wealth and reduced the King’s relatives to slaves.

Instead of breaking her, the brutal attack instead unleashed the awesome power inside Boudicca. Revenge was now her ambition, for her people, for her daughters, and for herself. With her intelligence and persuasion, she was able to form an alliance with the neighboring Trinovantes, putting to rest one of the centuries old feuds that plagued the Celtic tribes.

Her first target was Camulodunum (Colchester), a town mostly occupied by Roman officers and their families. The battle waged for five days. Boudicca’s campaign was relentless and showed no signs of mercy. They burned the temple of Claudius, the Roman emperor who oversaw the last of the British conquest. In the end, every citizen plus two hundred reinforcements that had been sent in were dead and the town was set ablaze.

Knowing her next target would be Londinium (London), the Roman Governor of Britain, Gaius Suetonious Paulinus, gathered his troops and beat her there. An excellent tactician, he quickly saw that the spread-out city could not be defended. His troops were also greatly outnumbered ten to one. He took only those citizens that could fight and moved on in search of a strategic site for the impending battle. The resistance slaughtered Londinium’s 70,000 inhabitants and set it too on fire. The flames burned so hot they melted the remains into a layer of red clay that now lays about fifteen feet below modern streets.

From there, it was on to Verulamium (St. Albans), another entirely Roman town. It met the same fate as the others.

The spirit of the resistance was at a peak. Confidence ran high, and loved ones began to travel with the warriors, cheering them on in battle. They felt unstoppable.

All that changed in 62 AD when Suetonious found the perfect place for battle. In a narrow valley, he placed his men on a slope with forest behind them. This would not only make the javelins more accurate, but would force Boudicca to make a frontal attack. The woods, which were difficult for chariots to maneuver, ensured a closed arena.

It is unclear whether the rebels stumbled upon Suetonious or whether they raced to the area after word that sacred Druid groves were being destroyed, but Boudicca and her army did eventually meet up with the Romans. Suetonious gave her one final chance to surrender. Her people would be spared, but enslaved. She refused, rallied her troops, and attacked. The well-trained Romans immediately released their javelins. The front lines formed a wedge and, shields raised, pushed the rebels back into their families who were placed behind the warriors for safety. From there, the Romans began massacring everybody.

Boudicca and her daughters managed to escape, but knew there was nowhere to hide. If captured they would be trophies paraded around the streets of Rome, tortured, and possibly sent to the gladiatorial arena where certain death awaited. Boudicca also knew that her people would be subject to unspeakable cruelties in an effort to locate the three women. Therefore, to spare themselves and their people, Boudicca, Camorra, and Tasca committed suicide by poison.

Now with the advantage, the Romans hammered down on the resistance. Captives were beaten and most made slaves of the lowest order. They desecrated Druid sanctuaries, looted the people, and took away their weapons. Legions were brought in who set up forts to keep a close eye on the Iceni. They destroyed farms, causing a famine, and even went so far as to set up a drainage system to pull the water from the soil.

Boudicca was gone, but her spirit lived on in her people. She had given the native tribes the knowledge that, united, they were a force to be reckoned with and that they could successfully challenge the Romans for their rights. Pockets of resistance continued fighting for another year until Suetonious was replaced by Publius Petronius. He changed the policy toward the natives to one of appeasement. It was a policy that stayed in use for over three hundred years.

Many believe that “Boudicca” was not her given name, but rather an honor given to her by her people comparing her to Boudiga, the Celtic goddess of victory. In 1902, a monument honoring her was built near the House of Parliament as a tribute to her defense of her homeland. Her real name may be lost, but her legend will live on forever.