Boudica: The Warrior Queen You've Never Heard Of

One of the time periods which is almost completely void of women's stories is the early medieval period. As the Roman Empire began expanding north toward Great Britain, many barbarian groups violently rejected their invasion. One such group were the Celts of ancient Britain, and they were led by their queen Boudica (also spelled Boudicca) in 60-61 CE.

Little is known about Boudica's early life, except that she was born into a privileged family in Camulodunum (modern-day Colchester) around 30 CE, and was married to the Iceni king, Prasutagus, when she was 18. Prasutagus was an independent ally of the Romans, but after his death the Iceni's lands were confiscated from them and they became subjects of the Romans.

The only information we have about Boudica's revolt comes from Roman writers Tacitus (56-117 CE) and Cassius Dio (150-235 CE), and both of these sources give contradictory accounts as to why the revolts occurred. According to Ancient History Encyclopedia, "Tacitus claims the revolt sprang from the ill treatment of the Iceni following Prasutagus' death while Dio writes that the cause of the uprising was a dispute over a loan." Most historians accept Tacitus's claims over Dio's because his father-in-law, Gnaeus Julius Agricola (40-93 CE), was the governor of Britain at the time of Boudica's revolt.

Boudica's war was not only motivated by the loss of land and status, but also because she wanted revenge for the brutal pain she and daughters suffered at the hands of the Romans. According to Tacitus, Roman soldiers publicly flogged her and raped her two daughters. After that, she stated, "Nothing is safe from Roman pride and arrogance. They will deface the sacred and will deflower our virgins. Win the battle or perish, that is what I, a woman, will do.”

Boudica and her troops first fought against the Romans in Camulodunum, where they severely underestimated her skill and the number of her forces. She made her way from Camulodunum to Londinium (modern-day London) where she sacked the city. Unfortunately, soon after her victory at Londinium, the Roman General Suetonius met her troops at what is now called the Battle of Watling Street. Boudica's troops were massacred by Suetonius's javelin assault, yet she and her daughters were able to escape. According to Tacitus, in order to make sure they were not captured by the Romans and subjected to certain torture and death, Boudica and her daughters poisoned themselves. After Boudica's death, the Romans would hold Britain until the 400s CE.

So what can we learn from Boudica? When we study medieval or ancient history, it is important to remember that there were strong, impactful women whose stories might have been lost or forgotten in history, and with new advancements in technology we may learn more about them. Also, in the age of the #MeToo movement, we can use Boudica as an example of fighting for what's right even against seemingly insurmountable odds. Even though her revolt was ultimately unsuccessful, Boudica stands as a symbol of justice and has become a national heroine to the British people and women around the world.

#boudica #medievalhistory #romanhistory #britishhistory #womenshistory #metoo #barbarians #celtichistory #celts #britain #medieval #middleschoolhistory

---

Sources:

https://www.ancient.eu/Boudicca/

https://www.history.com/news/who-was-boudica