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Who was Boudica

01:00 Fri 23rd Feb 2001 |

Boudica or Boadicea was British Queen and ruler of the Iceni - a tribe occupying East Anglia. She was married to Prasutagus and with him she ruled over the Iceni, but under Roman Authority.

When was she around
Ancient sources only mention her date of death which is recorded as 61 AD.

How did she make it into the history books
Boudica witnessed the suffering of her people by heavy taxes, conscription and other indignities generated by Roman Emperor Nero. However, it was following the death of her husband Prasutagus and the Roman plundering and annexing of her dominions that Boudica finally had enough and raised a revolt against the Romans.

What happened in this revolt
Some time between 60 and 61 AD Boudica raised a force of the Iceni people and various other tribes of southeast Britain, united in their hatred of Nero and his legions. Boudica's first victory was against the Roman municipalities of St Albans and Colchester which they burned to the ground. The Britons then went onto rout the Ninth legion, marching from Lincoln to quash the rebellion. The revolt then marched onto London where they faced Roman Governor General Seutonius Paulinus. There was a desperate battle in the field and the Roman were eventual victors, though at great cost.

Did Boudica's revolt have much of an impact on Roman Britain
In the course of the battles over 70,000 Romans and Roman-friendly Britons were massacred. Many thousands of Britons also fell in battle and those who lived were hunted down by Roman soldiers. However, Boudica's actions did shock the Roman world and as a result lead to them adopting policies that were a little kinder.

What happened to Boudica
Faced with defeat the warrior queen took her own life by drinking a poison chalice. Stories tell of Boudica taking the poison with her three daughters in the aftermath of the conflict at Battle Bridge. In 1851. King's Cross Station was built on the site of Battle Bridge and the Queen and her daughters are said to be beneath platform 10. However, others have suggested her last resting-place to�be Parliament Hill, Hampstead or in Suffolk.

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