Queen Boadicea

Getting better acquainted with Queen Boadicea!

"She was huge of frame, terrifying of aspect, and with a harsh voice. A great mass of bright red hair fell to her knees: She wore a great twisted golden necklace, and a tunic of many colors, over which was a thick mantle, fastened by a brooch. Now she grasped a spear, to strike fear into all who watched her . . . ."

—Dio Cassius

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Boadicea is simply the name given to her by the Roman historian Tacitus, although to Dio Cassius she was Buduica. Whether Boudicca, Boadicea, Boadiccea, or Buduica; it would have been the Latinized version of her Brythonic Celtic name, and the convention has since been adopted that this would probably have been something similar to the name under which she is known in present day Welsh; which is, Byddyg, or literally, "Victory".

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The story of Boadicea!

Written histories of Boadicea, and of early Britain in general, are found in two classical manuscripts, which were most likely derived from the same original source.

The historian Tacitus wrote his history only fifty years after the events of A.D. 60, and it was said that his father-in-law Agricola was able to give an eyewitness account of the rebellion.

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Against all odds Between A.D. 43 and A.D. 45

married Prasutagus, King of the Iceni.

Upon his death he left his kingdom to be shared by his two daughters.

Roman law did not allow inheritance to be passed to daughters.

This was considered unacceptable according to roman standards.

Kinsmen of the royal house were enslave,Boadice was beaten with a whip

Then she was force to whiteness the public rape and torture of her two daughter said to be around the age of 12

The brutality of these excesses only rallied them behind their queen and against the invading Romans.

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Before her power Boadicea had no real claim to

succession after the passing of her husband.

The people regarded her as their leader, because their neighboring tribes were willing to support any kind of anti-Roman uprising.

The people that lived there suffered under Roman taxation for years, The Roman emperor also destroyed

the majority of Celtic culture. They were also upset about the

attack on the headquarters of the Druidic religion.

This urged neighboring tribes to join Boadicea in her rebellion.

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The start of it

First they stormed Roman cities (Camulodunum and Colchester)continued on to Londinium(London).This ended in a final destructive battle.

Written accusations portray Boadicea and her followers in battle in savage and brutal terms.

Roman military writing portrays the enemy as being uncivilized animals compared to roman law, order, and civilization

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At the final battle we would see Boudicca fully armed standing in her chariot with her daughters by her sides.

She was clothed, unlike many of her followers who would go into battle naked with their skin painted blue and often with tattoos.

Battle Appearance!

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It continues even more

Inhabitants were massacred They struggled with starvation and

disease Boadicea was having difficulty

controlling her troops after victory with the looting and burning.

Tacitus indicated a count of roughly 70,000 casualties before the final battle

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It’s victory or

death

Survival or suicide

Reported that she survived the battle. Tacitus wrote that she poisoned her self thus

died by her own hand. Dio tells people that she fell sick and died. Nobody really knows, only explanation is that

she did not wan t to fall into Roman hands again.

Her daughters we not mentioned again, their names and fate are a mystery to history.

Boadicea apparently ended with her death and burial

She is most commonly seen as; not a queen, but a mother, wife and warrior defending her country.

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Definitions!Alliteration-

Repetition of sounds in words close to one another.

Kenning- Specialized metaphor made of compound words.

Epic Hero- Has superior physical strength and is supremely ethical.

Geat- Swedish warrior.

Epic Poetry- Dramatic Composition.

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References! http://

wordinfo.info/unit/4193?letter=E&spage=5