Boudica

Boudica was the name given to the leader of the Iceni tribe by Tacitus the second-century Roman chronicler, it is thought to be the only contemporary use of the name. The name Boadicia was used in 1534 by Polydore Vergil and then used by other historians in later centuries.

As with many battles in our history, the site and the exact date Boudica's last battle is not known. The date of 60/61 is considered to the be the year it took place, and the site where this female warrior took on an army is thought to have been in the middle of England. 

Boudica was long forgotten, however it was during the Victorian era that she was resurrected. The name Boudica means 'victory', and it has been suggested that Queen Victoria was named after her. I can see why this idea is popular, but the fact that Boudica was fighting against an empire and the Victorians were taking areas of the world to build theirs seems wrong somehow. 

Her rape, and that of her daughters is thought to have been Boudica motivation of her cause, bringing together the indigenous tribes of Britain against the might of the Roman empire. 

Roman historian Tacitus wrote of what Boudica said that day:

'it is not as a woman descended from noble ancestry, but as one of the people that I am avenging lost freedom, my scourged body, the outraged chastity of my daughters. Roman lust has gone so far that not our very persons, nor even age or virginity, are left unpolluted. But heaven is on the side of a righteous vengeance; a legion which dared to fight has perished; the rest are hiding themselves in their camp, or are thinking anxiously of flight. They will not sustain even the din and the shout of so many thousands, much less our charge and our blows. If you weigh well the strength of the armies, and the causes of the war, you will see that in this battle you must conquer or die. This is a woman's resolve; as for men, they may live and be slaves.'

and he also wrote that Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, the Roman leader addressing his troops said:

"Ignore the racket made by these savages. There are more women than men in their ranks. They are not soldiers, they're not even properly equipped. We've beaten them before and when they see our weapons and feel our spirit, they'll crack. Stick together. Throw the javelins, then push forward: knock them down with your shields and finish them off with your swords. Forget about plunder. Just win and you'll have everything."
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It is unlikely that these are the exact words spoken, and it would not be the last time we would read a bias report of an event by a historian is it?

Was Tacitus placing Boudica on a pedestal so that in the eyes of his Roman readers their mighty army could knock her down and put Britain in its place?

The Roman's were not stupid, they did learn a lesson, they were more careful when dealing with the British and its people after that. In this famous battle the Roman army was massively outnumbered but it was their strength and superior weapons that enabled them to inflict such a crushing defeat.

So what happened to Boudica? Well, we have to rely on Taticus again, he writes that she took poison, preferring to kill herself rather than face capture.

Maybe Boudica's fate was like that of the Welsh hero Owen Glyndwr or Cornish King Arthur, both men disappeared after a battle without a trace, after which they were never heard of again. Maybe, like the Welsh and the Cornish expected of their heroes, Boudica will one day appear to save us from our enemies.

Boudicca was the name given to the leader of the Iceni tribe by Tacitus the second-century Roman chronicler, it is thought to be the only contemporary use of the name. The name Boadicia was used in 1534 by Polydore Vergil and then used by other historians in later centuries.