- Free Essays, Term Papers & Book Notes


By:   •  Essay  •  862 Words  •  June 11, 2010  •  1,203 Views

Page 1 of 4


Boadicea was she a powerful ruler, or a merciless general? Many questions arise when you begin to explore her accomplishments or many would even say failures. Most of the information on Boadicea has been derived from myths and most of what is written about her is from the words of her Roman enemies. During the creation and rule of the Roman Empire, Rome would constantly be aiming to take over the entire known world. Consequently Boadicea and her people of Britannia clashed.

Julius Caesar was the first to take over Britain; he forced 6 powerful barbarian tribes to become a part of the Roman Empire. Iceni was amongst them, which happened to be the tribe of the famous Boadicea and her husband Prasutagus. However, Caesar and his army left that same year because they found the conditions too cold. Later in 43 AD Claudius Nero came into power. A man who was both cruel and pitiless, in his lifetime he managed to not only kill both his wives, his brother, and his mother but was known to go around the streets at night killing random men. Nero who wanted so badly to earn the respect of his Roman citizens decided to retake Britain.

Boadicea was born into aristocracy in the year 30 AD she then married the ruler of the Iceni tribe. She had two daughters during their marriage. When the Roman army invaded her city her husband Prasutagus agreed to leave all his accumulated wealth to the Roman Emperor. Prasutagus did this in the hope that his country would be taken in piece but Nero did not see it in the same light. He took the offering as surrender. The Roman army began to take action, they treated all the Iceni people as slaves, and they raped both of her daughters. Then when her husband past away, she became regent to the thrown and she was brutally beaten by the Roman army. If this was not enough Boadicea also had to witness the suffering of her people; raised taxes, forced military service. Claudius even had a temple built for him in Iceni, Boadicea had had enough. She recruited her army and the army of other bitter barbarian tribes and begun a very bloody war.

Boadicea and her supporters all felt that the army would only last for a short matter of days but lasted from 60 to 61 AD. Her opportunity came when the Roman general Seutonius Paulinus and his army were resting in what is modern day Wales. She took the Romans by surprise; she attacked the Romans strongly fortified temple, which gave out in only two days. The war cost hundreds of lives of not only the Celtic people but the Romans as well. Boadicea was successful in pushing the Romans all the way south to London. On her way to the final battle in London Boadicea sacked and burned each major city she passed. She managed to burn the capital at Colchester, London and Verulamium. This however was not such an easy task, but the famous warrior

Continue for 3 more pages »  •  Join now to read essay Boadicea
Download as (for upgraded members)