- Boudicca's Rebellion: A Re-Evaluation of the Popular Narrative
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Abstract:
- Boudicca’s apparently spontaneous rebellion against Roman rule in the 1st century AD established her as one of Britain’s greatest national heroes and cultural icons. Revered for her bravery, resolve and unwillingness to yield to tyranny, she is regarded as a paragon of fighting spirit, and to this day her name is invoked for a variety of political and ideological causes. When a figure is so central to modern national identity, an accurate understanding of history is crucial to properly evaluate the inevitable attempts to appropriate and politicise his or her legacy. An examination of the source materials in the works of Tacitus and Dio, however, shows that a sudden uprising, predicated on a few specific acts of Roman brutality, is highly unlikely. Rather, this paper presents an alternative hypothesis - that Boudicca had been fomenting insurrection for some time prior to the death of her husband Prasutagus and did so in response to a long pattern of Roman abuse and exploitation. Supporting this hypothesis is an examination of the client status of Prasutagus using parallels with another British client monarch in Queen Cartimandua. This highlights the paradoxical attitude of Rome towards its client rulers and the precarious positions of the clients’ consorts and subjects. Additional evidence includes the Romans’ disproportionately violent treatment of Boudicca and her daughters, the timing of key events, and the logistics of such a large uprising. A fuller understanding of her narrative moves Boudicca beyond the gendered stereotype of a reactive, emotionally-motivated warrior queen. She was a planner, strategist, and alliance builder, and should be recognised as such.
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