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Boudica

Warrior Queen of the Britons

Boudica was ancient British queen who in 60 CE led a revolt against the Roman invaders and Roman rule.

 

Boudicca’s husband, Prasutagus, was king of the Iceni (in what is now Norfolk) or Eceni an Iron age tribe based in East Anglia. When Prasutagus died with no male heir, he left his private wealth to his two daughters and to the emperor Nero, trusting thereby to win imperial protection for his family. Instead, the Romans annexed his kingdom, humiliated his family, raping his two daughters and flogging Boudica. The Romans then went onto plundering the chief tribesmen.

 

While the provincial governor Suetonius Paulinus was absent, Boudica raised a rebellion throughout East Anglia. The insurgents burned Camulodunum (Colchester), Verulamium (St. Albans), the mart of Londinium (London), and several military posts. According to the Roman historian Tacitus, Boudicca’s rebels massacred 70,000 Romans and pro-Roman Britons and cut to pieces the Roman 9th Legion. In short, it was a bloodbath.  We still find evidence of the burning of Colchester to this day.

 

Paulinus met the Britons at a point thought to be near present-day Fenny Stratford on Watling Street and regained the province in a desperate battle.

 

Upon her loss, the red headed Boudica either took poison or died of shock or illness, we don't really know but there are still rumours that she is buried in Messing Essex.  Briton and East Anglia was Roman once more.

 

The Westminster Bridge statue depicts Boudica and her daughters on a chariot. Its creation was overseen by Prince Albert. The statue was to underline Queen Victoria’s power; the names Boudica and Victoria both mean ‘victory’.

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