She Who Dared: Tales of Women in History | Celtic Queen Boudica

Assembled an Army of 230,000 against the Romans

Celtic Queen Boudica, also known as Boadicea, was the queen of the Iceni tribe in ancient Britain. When her husband, King Prasutagus, died, the Romans attempted to annex the semi-independent Iceni territory. Roman Historian Tacitus reported that Boudica was flogged and her daughters raped by Roman soldiers. This spurred Boudica to assemble and lead a significant uprising against the occupying Roman forces in AD 60-61. Boudica’s formidable army destroyed several Roman settlements, including Camulodunum (modern-day Colchester), Londinium (London), and Verulamium (St Albans).

The Battle of Watling Street between Queen Boudica and Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, the Roman governor of Britain, was waged c—AD 61. Although heavily outnumbered, Paulinus assembled about 10,000 men, including the XIV Gemina and XX Valeria Victrix legions and auxiliaries. Boudica’s army, estimated to be around 230,000 strong, met the Romans on the Roman road called Watling Street, near modern-day Shropshire. By occupying a narrow passage with a wood behind him, Paulinus prevented the Britons from outflanking the Romans. In their attempt to break through the Roman lines, the Britons were funneled into a tight mass and attacked by unending volleys of javelins and disciplined Roman infantry tactics.

Around 80,000 Britons were killed, including many civilians. The battle marked the end of the Boudican revolt and solidified Roman rule in southern Britain for the next several centuries.