 Boudicca of the Iceni The Boudiccan revolt of 60AD must be one of the best known events of the history of Roman Britain, the Roman treatment of the Trinovantes and then their treatment of the Iceni after the death of Prasutagus, it nearly cost Rome of its new province.The events that led up to the rebellion of the Iceni of Norfolk are well-known, but the reasons that led the Trivovantes' involvement in the up-rising were more complex and longstanding. The natural resentment felt by the Trinovantes over the loss of their most fertile land to the colonists was exacerbated by the brutal and rapacious conduct of the new settlers who were protected by Roman Law. The military authorities turned a blind eye to the plight of the indigenous people. The financial burdens of the construction of the Temple of Claudius added to the resentment, then the sudden calling in of loans made to individuals also added fuel to a smouldering fire. Then came the death of Prasutagus of the Iceni, the Iceni at this time were an independent ally of Rome, and in Prasutagus' will he left his kingdom jointly to his daughters and the Roman Emperor, but his will was ignored by the Romans as they did not recognise daughters as heirs. The Iceni kingdom was annexed as if conquered and Boudicca and her daughters were ill-treated by the Romans. Then the Roman financiers called in their loans. The two tribes formed a secret alliance and waited for their moment of retribution, much of their waiting time must have been spent in preparation awaiting the summer months when the Roman campaigns began. For in the summer of 60AD the Roman governor Suetonius Paulinus went campaigning in North Wales where Caratacus, who was known to both Iceni and Trinovante, was still fighting for freedom, aided by the Silures and the Ordovices. The bulk of the occupation army was under governor Paulinus, leaving the South East of Ancient Britain with little more than a skeleton garrison, providing Boudicca and her followers with a splendid opportunity. As Paulinus was following Claudius' orders and crushing the Druids in their stronghold of Ynys Mon, Boudicca's Alliance rose in rebellion. Chanting Boudicca's name which means Victorious in the Old Celtic Brythonic tongue. Before the up-rising the Iceni Queen invoked the goddess Andraste, which means Victory. An invoking ceremony staged in front of an assembly of Iceni and Trinovante noblemen and warriors. Hares were released because Andraste always appears with hares at her feet. Their first objective was the Colonia at Camulodunum, the Roman citizens must have had some warning because they had time to strengthen their small garrison by 200 legionaries, sent by the Procurator Catus Decianus of Londinium, but it proved to be too few, as Boudicca attack Camulodunum. The defenders of Camulodunum found Boudiccas' army too large in number, the colonists took refuge in the Temple of Claudius as the Queens army destroyed everything that was Roman, for two days and two nights, the Celtic army looted and burnt Camulodunum to the ground, till nothing but the temple was left of the Claudian Colonia. With this victory over Rome, the Queens army marched onto Londinium, at this time was a twenty year old commercial settlement and a flourishing trade port that the Alliance burnt to the ground, then to Verulamium, which they also destroyed. News went back to emperor Nero and he seriously consider withdrawing all Roman forces from the island, but Suetonius had regrouped the Legionaries. Boudicca was finally defeated after her army faced the Romans on an open battle field. They had incensed the Britons by felling the sacred oak groves of Andrasta, the Romans forced the Aliance into open warfare and held the high ground, but the location of Boudicca's defeat is unknown, most historians favour a site in the West Midlands, somewhere along the Roman Road now known as Watling Street.
|
Courtyard
|
