Boudica Biography
(Queen of the Iceni Tribe of Celtic Britons)
Born: 30
Born In: Britannia
Boudica was a queen of the Celtic Icenic tribe, who led an uprising against Roman invaders. Her husband Prasutagus, King of Iceni tribe, was permitted to reign as a nominally independent ally of Rome. In his will Prasutagus named his two daughters and the Roman emperor as co-heirs to his kingdom, however following his death his property was confiscated and his kingdom was annexed. While Tacitus wrote that Roman soldiers lashed Boudica and raped her daughters, Cassius Dio mentioned that earlier regal donations were seized and the Roman financiers called in their loans which led to the revolt. Boudica united different revolting tribes including Iceni and Trinovantes and first destroyed Camulodunum (present-day Colchester) an insignia for Roman rule that housed a temple to the former Emperor Claudius. Her forces then destroyed the commercial settlement of Londinium (present-day London) and Verulamium (present-day St Albans) but were finally defeated by a Roman army led by Gaius Suetonius Paulinus at the Battle of Watling Street. While some sources mention Boudica poisoned herself to death to avoid being captured, some others say that she succumbed to illness.