Boudica

Warrior Woman of Roman Britain

In AD 60/61, Rome almost lost the province of Britain to a woman. Boudica, wife of the client king Prasutagus, fomented a rebellion that proved catastrophic for Camulodunum (Colchester), Londinium (London), and Verulamium (St. Albans), destroyed part of a Roman legion, and caused the deaths of an untold number of veterans, families, soldiers, and Britons. Yet with one decisive defeat, her vision of freedom was destroyed, and the Iceni never rose again.  

Boudica: Warrior Woman of Roman Britain introduces listeners to the life and literary importance of Boudica through juxtaposing her different literary characterizations with those of other women and rebel leaders. This study focuses on our earliest literary evidence, the accounts of Tacitus and Cassius Dio, and investigates their narratives alongside material evidence of late Iron Age and early Roman Britain. Throughout the book, Caitlin Gillespie draws comparative sketches between Boudica and the positive and negative examples with which listeners associate her, including the prophetess Veleda, the client queen Cartimandua, and the rebel Caratacus. Literary comparisons assist in the understanding of Boudica as a barbarian, queen, mother, commander in war, and leader of revolt.

©2018 Oxford University Press (P)2018 Tantor

A perfectly fine history

Others who are disappointed in the history maybe don’t realize there is basically nothing documented about Boudicca beyond what a couple of non-contemporary historians say and some archaeological evidence. I enjoyed this history—it fills the gaps by showing us how other attestations (histories, documents) and better known and understood cultural practices from historical contemporaries help researchers fill in the gaps. As far as a history of a person with no extant, totally reliable records to draw from this is great. In my opinion!

History through literary critique methods

It felt more like an academic literary critique than a history book, spending a lot of time using feminist and sexist literary lenses to critique Roman history as a whole. if what you want is an account of Boudica without these sorts of tangents, I'd steer clear.

Not history.......

This is a woman's studies book not a biography. Very little about the circumstances and Boudica herself.....I feel duped into listening to someone's political/social agenda and an angry one at that.