Boadicea (Boudica)

Statue of Boadicea by Thomas Thornycroft

............................ presented to London by his son and placed near the British Houses of Parliament in 1902 by the London County Council

Between AD 61 and AD 63 Boadicea led her Iceni people to a glorious war against the Romans. The Iceni Celts had submitted their kingdom in East Anglia to the conquering Romans and the rule of Emperor Claudius in AD 43. In AD 61, Prasutagus, Boadicea's husband and King of the Iceni died. A dispute followed during which Boadicea, was publicly beaten by the soldiers of the emperor, and her two daughters raped. The Iceni were insulted and rose in revolt led by their queen Boadicea. So successful was the uprising that the Romans were almost defeated. Unfortunately for the Iceni and their allies, the military skill of the Roman army finally led to the crushing of the rebellion.After the revolt, Roman rule was re-established. For almost two glorious years, Boadicea pillaged the Roman settlements; she remains to this day, the greatest of the heroines of Britain.

• ... excerpts from THE RISE OF VENTA , webpage by John Peterson

• For more on Boadicea, see THE BARBARIAN PAGE.

• For a Roman's perspective on her wars and for more on Boadicea, see this web-site.

• ... also: Libby Young admires Boadicea!
  

• ... and: Gillian Carcas' most tempestuous opera work, dedicated and named for Boudica, Boadicea.
  

Thanks to Andrea Denzler in Italy who directed me to this beautiful image of Boadicea by ©Chris Achilleos.

Note: I am still and always looking for good images of Boadicea's monument in London. If you can suggest another image of Boadicea, e-mail me: