Boudicca (her name is also spelled Boudica or Boadicea) was queen of the Celtic Iceni people. In around AD 60 she led a fierce and brutal rebellion against the Romans to claim back the Iceni share of their kingdom. Led by Boudicca, the Iceni and their allies destroyed the Roman capital of Colchester, as well as London and St Albans. Eventually, the Romans defeated them at the Battle of Watling Street.

Prasutagus

In the first century AD, Britain was made up of a large number of tribes, each with their own king. When the Romans conquered southern England in AD 43, they forced nearly all these tribes to submit to Roman rule. But in the east (the area we now call East Anglia) they allowed King Prasutagus to rule his own people, the Iceni. This may have been because the Romans saw him as a leader who could keep the peace. 

A young queen

It is likely that Boudicca was born into a noble family in Camulodunum (modern Colchester) in around AD 30. Like other Celtic girls, the young Boudicca trained as a warrior, learning how to use weapons and fight. When she was 18, she married Prasutagus and became queen of the Iceni people.

Cassius Dio describes Boudicca as tall and terrifying, with fierce eyes and long “tawny” (reddish-brown) hair. She wore a colourful tunic and a cape around her shoulders fastened by a brooch. In battle she grasped a spear and wore a golden collar called a torc around her neck. In Celtic Britain, the torc was a symbol of high status.

The rebellion begins

When Boudicca's husband, King Prasutagus, died in AD 60, he left instructions to split his kingdom between his daughters and the Roman emperor. He believed this was the best way to protect his family and the Iceni people. But the Romans were unhappy with their small share of the kingdom. They ignored the old king’s wishes and took over his kingdom entirely.

Telling Boudicca's story

There are two different accounts of Boudicca's story, both by Roman historians. One version, told by Tacitus (AD 56–117), says that the Iceni rebelled because the Romans treated them badly after the death of their king. The other, told by Cassius Dio (AD 150–235), says that the Iceni fought the Romans because they disagreed over a loan.​​​​​​ ​​​​​​​Today, people consider Tacitus’ version to be more accurate because he presented both sides of the story.

Boudicca's troops destroyed the entire city, and killed nearly all its people—mostly Romans. They burned down Camulodunum's huge stone temple, which was dedicated to Emperor Claudius. A bronze statue of Claudius stood in the city; they attacked it and sliced off its head.

​​​​​​​​​The army then headed for Londinium (modern London). Here they viciously attacked its people and its buildings. They destroyed everything in their path. They marched on to Verulamium (modern St Albans). The people of this city had become friendly with the Romans, so the Britons saw them as enemies. Here, too, they attacked the citizens and burned buildings to the ground. ​​​​​​​Altogether, they killed between 70,000 and 80,000 people, both Romans and Britons.

Battle of Watling Street

While the Britons were destroying Verulamium, the Roman governor Suetonius made plans to meet them in battle. He chose a position in a narrow valley with a wood behind him, so that the enemy soldiers would have to fight in open country, with nowhere to hide. Here, his army of around 10,000 men waited for the Britons.​​​

But once the battle begun, Boudicca's army struggled. In the narrow valley Suetonius had chosen, the Britons were pushed together, which made them easy targets for Roman spear-throwers. When Roman cavalry entered the battle, the Britons turned to flee. But the supply wagons they had positioned behind them cut off their escape route. This enabled the Roman soldiers to complete their massacre. Thousands of Britons were killed, while fewer than 400 Romans died.