Queen Boudica in London
In AD43 the Roman army invaded Britain. At that time, Britain was divided into tribal territories.
The Romans formed alliances with tribes in the south-east, like the Iceni and the Trinovantes, to create a new and peaceful province called Britannia.
In AD59, the King of the Iceni died. He hoped his wife, Boudica, would succeed him. However, the Roman Emperor had other ideas. His harsh treatment of the royal family led the Iceni to rebel. They attacked Colchester, London and St Albans. These towns were largely undefended as the Roman army was away fighting Druids in Wales.
The Roman historian Tacitus estimated that 70,000 people were killed in the rebellion. This may have been an exaggeration as estimates suggest that 10,000 people were living in London at the time, with perhaps similar numbers in the other two towns.
Although there are many stories about how Boudica died, the truth has yet to be discovered.
- Introduction (this page)
- What sparked the Boudican Revolt?
- Why did Boudica attack London?
- Did Boudica destroy London?
- How did Boudica die?
- What did Boudica look like?
- Further information
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