The Revolt of the Iceni

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The Revolt of the Iceni

• Queen Boudiccas revenge

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60 CE. Success for the Romans

• C Suetonius Paullinus, governor of Rome was in
  Anglesey, an important Druidical centre
• If he was victorious here he would have stamped
  out most of those who rebelled against Rome
• The Romans disliked the human sacrifice practised
  by the Druids

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• Black-clad females, long-haired and brandishing
  torches, stood on the beach with the men
• Behind stood the Druids calling down magic upon
  the approaching Roman army
• The Romans cut them down
• They destroyed the sacred groves (which were red
  with the blood of Roman prisoners)
• They began to construct a fort

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Rebellion!

• News was brought of a rebellion by Boudicca,
  queen of the Iceni
• Prasutagus, the king, had died
• The Romans intended to take over his territory
• Slaves and soldiers arrived to take over the
  property
• They were not supervised as the governor was far
  away in Wales

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Would you put up with this?

• Boudicca, the queen, was flogged (whipped)
• Her daughters were attacked and abused
• The important people in the tribe were badly
  treated and arrested

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And yet more ill-treatment!

• The colonists at Camulodunum took the Icenis
  land for themselves
• The military ignored this so the Iceni got no
  help
• Taxes imposed on the tribes by the Romans were
  high and the other tribes sympathised with the
  Iceni and supported them

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Attack!

• The Iceni gathered together, with Boudicca as
  their leader
• They headed for Colchester, which was undefended
  and full of retired soldiers
• The town was burnt and the people retreated to
  the temple where they withstood the rebels for
  two days

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Disaster!

• Petillius Cerialis, legate of the 9th Legion
  rushed south to the rescue
• The legion was ambushed
• His infantry was massacred
• He had to retreat with his cavalry to his fort
• The deputy governor of Britannia retreated to Gaul

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Paullinus to the rescue!

• If Paullinus brought all of his soldiers down
  from Wales it would have taken two weeks
• He came ahead with the cavalry
• In three days he covered 400 km
• The 2nd Legion refused to come up from Exeter to
  help!

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Londinium turns to ashes

• When Suetonius Paullinus reached London he
  realised that he did not have enough troops to
  defend it
• He left it to defend itself
• Those who could march went with him
• The rest remained behind to die
• The same happened at Verulamium (St Albans)

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Boudicca, who?

• Cassius Dio, a Roman, described Boudicca
• 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.

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Boudicca, victorious

• Boudicca fell on Londinium and reduced it to
  ashes
• Today archaeologists find the thick layer of
  ashes when they dig in London
• Boudicca advanced on Verulamium and reduced that
  to ashes
• A Roman, Tacitus, writes that 70 000 died in the
  three towns (Camulodunum, Londinium, Verulamium)

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Disaster or success?

• The rest of Paullinus army arrived
• He had 10 000 men
• The Iceni, with the support of other tribes had
  230 000 men!
• Paullinus turned to fight
• He chose a site surrounded by woods and hills
  with an open plain in front

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Boudiccas speech (1)

• We British are used to women commanders in war
• I am descended from mighty men
• But now I am not fighting for my kingdom and
  wealth
• I am fighting as an ordinary person for my lost
  freedom, my bruised body, and my abused daughters
• The Roman division which dared to fight is
  annihilated
• The others cower in their camps, or watch for a
  chance to escape

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Boudiccas speech (2)

• They will never face even the din and roar of all
  our thousands
• Let alone the shock of our onslaught
• Consider how many of you are fighting and why
• You will win this battle, or perish
• That is what I, a woman, plan to do
• Let the men live in slavery if they will

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Victory!

• The Romans won! (10 000 against 230 000)
• They had better weapons
• They were better disciplined (advancing in
  ranks), using military tactics (testudo)
• The Iceni had drawn up their wagons (with their
  women on) behind them and were trapped when the
  Romans advanced
• 80 000 Britons died, only 400 Romans

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The aftermath

• Boudicca killed herself, rather than surrender to
  the Romans
• The commander of the 2nd Legion (that refused to
  come) fell on his sword
• The army laid waste to the territory of the Iceni
• Forts were built in their territory and extra
  soldiers were drafted in