Boadicea
(also Boudicea or Boadicea) was born in 30 A.D. She came from a tribe in modern-day England or Scotland, though which
one and who her parents were is unknown. Many historians believe that her name was actually Boadiga, the Celtic goddess of
victory. Boadicea is the Latin version of Boadiga, which is where her modern name is from. Boadicea was said to be a wild
and fiery woman, her hair as bright as fire and her skin very pale. Her wild appearance and haggard clothes would strike fear
into the hearts of the Romans, which would come into play later in her life. The writer Cassius Dio:
"She was very tall. Her eyes seemed to stab you.
Her voice was harsh and loud. Her thick, reddish-brown hair hung down below her waist. She always wore a great golden torc
around her neck and a flowing tartan cloak fastened with a brooch."
Around 48 A.D., Boadicea married into the royal family
of the Iceni, a southeastern British tribe. Her husband, Prasutagus, died in 60 A.D., after fathering two daughters by
Boadicea, both who were young women by the time of his death.
Since Julius Caesar had invaded Gaul and Britain in
his campaigns in 55 and 54 B.C., the Romans traditionally invaded the savage lands and colonized the isles. Caesar never returned
after his campaigns, and the Iceni and other British tribes traded with the Roman settlers and learned their ways of life
and language. The Romans ceased battle with the savage tribes, but in 43 A.D. when Prasutagus was king of the Iceni, Claudius,
the new Roman emperor who was quickly appointed after Caligula's murder, led Rome back into the British Isles to control the
empire thats large borders were becoming riotous. Caligula consulted with his advisors, lieutenants, and Caesar's war
journals and decided that he should send more Romans to colonize the Isles. 60,000 to be exact.
When the Romans arrived in the isles, Prasutagus submitted
to them. He declared that he would become a client-king of Rome, but he was allowed to rule his people and lands as long as
he guided the Iceni to follow Roman laws and accept the Romans as their benefactors. Rome promised its client-kings military
protection and funding but slavery also surmounted from the alliances. Most British tribes submitted to the Romans but the
Welsh refused to become vassals, only agreeing after 30 years of war. The farther north the Romans went into Britain, the
harder it was for them to beat back the attacking tribes. One tribal leader, Calgacus of Caledonia, never submitted and saved
his people, for in the early 1st century A.D. the Romans gave up trying to win Caledonia and built Hadrian's Wall to
keep the tribes out of the Roman territories.
Prasutagus died in 60 A.D., leaving his
daughters the inheritance of the Iceni, and Boadicea as their regent. In his will he left his lands and possessions to the
Roman emperor (now Nero) and monies and heirlooms to his daughters. The amounts were not enough for dowries, but would help
pay the Romans who the Iceni were still vassals of. However, the Romans took advantage of Prasutagus' death. They pillaged
the Iceni tribes, flogged Boadicea, and raped her two daughters. Enraged, Boadicea and the Iceni rose up and went into battle
against the Romans. Surprisingly, the Icenis captured the towns of Camulodunum, Londinium, and Verulamium and chased out the
mightiest army in the world. However, the Romans were still very organized and powerful despite their losses, with 10,000
soldiers, the same amount of soldiers in Boadicea's Iceni armies. Before going into battle, Boadicea made a speech:
