After Prasutagus’s death, the Romans seized his lands and treated his family harshly. Boudica, his widow, was publicly flogged, and her daughters were brutally raped by Roman soldiers. This affront to her family and her people was a direct violation of the agreements between the Iceni and Rome, and it proved to be the catalyst for the revolt that would follow.

Boudica’s personal suffering and the injustices inflicted upon her people sparked a fury within her, and she rallied the Iceni to rise up against Roman authority. According to Roman historians, Boudica's appeal to her people was powerful. She urged them to fight not only for their freedom but for revenge against the brutal Roman soldiers who had humiliated her.

The Revolt of 60-61 AD

In 60 AD, Boudica’s forces began their rebellion. She quickly gathered a vast army of warriors, including members from neighboring tribes who had suffered under Roman oppression. Her army reportedly swelled to over 100,000 men and women, a formidable force against the Romans, who were still reeling from the loss of their traditional strongholds in Britain.

The first major confrontation between Boudica’s rebels and the Romans occurred at Camulodunum (modern-day Colchester), the capital of Roman Britain. The town was a symbol of Roman dominance, and Boudica’s forces were determined to make an example of it. The rebels stormed the town, destroying it and killing its Roman inhabitants. Camulodunum was razed to the ground, and its Roman temple was burned. This victory served as a rallying point for further attacks.

Boudica’s army then moved on to Londinium (modern London), which was at that time a growing Roman city. The Roman governor, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, was away in the west, attempting to put down other uprisings, which left the city vulnerable. Londinium was sacked by Boudica’s forces, and again, many Roman civilians were killed. The destruction was widespread, and it is said that Boudica’s army showed little mercy in their brutal treatment of Roman settlers.

The rebels then advanced to Verulamium (modern St Albans), which suffered a similar fate to Londinium and Camulodunum. The Roman Empire was facing an unprecedented challenge in Britain, as Boudica’s revolt threatened to undo much of the progress Rome had made in establishing control over the island. shutdown123