Changes

==History==

==History==

The Roman emperor Claudius ordered the invasion of Britain in 43 AD, with the target of the campaign a fortified Iron Age settlement known then as Camulodunum, near what is now modern Colchester.  Some twenty years later the Iceni were ruled by Prasutagus, and his kingdom was considered a ''civitates peregrinae'', where non-citizens were allowed an amount of self-government<ref>http://www.encyclo.co.uk/meaning-of-civitates%20peregrinae</ref>, provided they were obedient.  ""The Britons themselves submit to the levy, the tribute and the other charges of Empire with cheerful readiness," Tacitus wrote, "provided that there is no abuse. That they bitterly resent: for they are broken in to obedience, not to slavery"<ref>Tacitus: ''Agricola''</ref>. When he died, he left his kingdom jointly to his wife, Boudica, his two daughters and the Roman Emperor. However, unlike the native Britons, Rome did not recognize female inheritance and annexed the kingdom.  What happened next was seizure and oppression; the Romans were conquerors, and the governor Suetonius Paullinus treated the Britons as a defeated enemy:   

The Roman emperor Claudius ordered the invasion of Britain in 43 AD, with the target of the campaign a fortified Iron Age settlement known then as Camulodunum, near what is now modern Colchester.  Some twenty years later the Iceni were ruled by Prasutagus, and his kingdom was considered a ''civitates peregrinae'', where non-citizens were allowed an amount of self-government,<ref>http://www.encyclo.co.uk/meaning-of-civitates%20peregrinae</ref> provided they were obedient.  ""The Britons themselves submit to the levy, the tribute and the other charges of Empire with cheerful readiness," Tacitus wrote, "provided that there is no abuse. That they bitterly resent: for they are broken in to obedience, not to slavery".<ref>Tacitus: ''Agricola''</ref> When he died, he left his kingdom jointly to his wife, Boudica, his two daughters and the Roman Emperor. However, unlike the native Britons, Rome did not recognize female inheritance and annexed the kingdom.  What happened next was seizure and oppression; the Romans were conquerors, and the governor Suetonius Paullinus treated the Britons as a defeated enemy:   

:''"Kingdom and household alike were plundered like prizes of war, the one by Roman officers, the other by Roman slaves. As a beginning, his widow Boudicca was flogged and their daughters raped. The Icenian chiefs were deprived of their hereditary estates as if the Romans had been given the whole country. The king's own relatives were treated like slaves."''<ref>Tacitus: ''Annals''</ref>   

:''"Kingdom and household alike were plundered like prizes of war, the one by Roman officers, the other by Roman slaves. As a beginning, his widow Boudicca was flogged and their daughters raped. The Icenian chiefs were deprived of their hereditary estates as if the Romans had been given the whole country. The king's own relatives were treated like slaves."''<ref>Tacitus: ''Annals''</ref>   

Hearing of the rebellion while putting down the Druids on the Isle of Anglesey, Paullinus rushed to Londinium; among his ranks were the XIV Legion and XX Legion.  Furthermore, he sent his cavalry ahead with orders orders for II Legion to meet him there, only to discover upon arrival that with the defeat of IX Legion Londinium had to be abandoned for want of troops to defend it.  Both Londinium and [[St Albans]] (Verulamium) were burned, and whoever was left behind were slaughtered.

Hearing of the rebellion while putting down the Druids on the Isle of Anglesey, Paullinus rushed to Londinium; among his ranks were the XIV Legion and XX Legion.  Furthermore, he sent his cavalry ahead with orders orders for II Legion to meet him there, only to discover upon arrival that with the defeat of IX Legion Londinium had to be abandoned for want of troops to defend it.  Both Londinium and [[St Albans]] (Verulamium) were burned, and whoever was left behind were slaughtered.

After Boudica's initial successes, Paullinus rallied his forces against the revolt and engaged the rebels at Watling Street, near Mancetter, on ground of his choosing, and near an established Roman camp. Despite overwhelming numerical supremacy (Dio estimated 230,000) Boudica's disorganised army was defeated by the Roman's superior tactics.  It is said that following the defeat she committed suicide by taking poison<ref> [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/britannia/boudica/boudicanrevolt.html] Encyclopaedia Romana: Boudica</ref>.

After Boudica's initial successes, Paullinus rallied his forces against the revolt and engaged the rebels at Watling Street, near Mancetter, on ground of his choosing, and near an established Roman camp. Despite overwhelming numerical supremacy (Dio estimated 230,000) Boudica's disorganised army was defeated by the Roman's superior tactics.  It is said that following the defeat she committed suicide by taking poison.<ref>[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/britannia/boudica/boudicanrevolt.html] Encyclopaedia Romana: Boudica</ref>

==References==

==References==

[[Category:Women]]

[[Category:Women]]

[[Category:Ancient Rome]]

[[Category:Ancient Rome]]