Fighting Woman Boudica as a Victim of the Roman Manipulations : Courage and Rebellion - Case Study Example

Boudica: Portrait of a Leader of a Rebellion and a Woman of Strength During the end of the period known as the Iron Age, the Roman empire was steadily claiming parts of England, thus bringing this age to an end. The territory of the Iceni to the south was the last to fall to the Romans between 60 and 61 A.D., which brought about the end of this time period. The invasion began around 47 A.D., but a queen by the name of Boudica held out until those last years by creating a rebellion that would hold off the completion of the Roman occupation. Her story is extraordinary and has been an inspiration to her enemy, the Romans, to artists and writers throughout history, and to the creators of television and film. In discovering the history of Boudica, one is led on a journey of historical intrigue, biased and interesting retelling of the tale, and into the heart of the courage of a leader as envisioned by those who would take the retelling of her story. The tale of the Celtic queen by the name of Boudica was brought to the Roman world most notably through the writings of Tacitus and Dio Cassius. Thus, the complete truth is lost to history as writings from her own people and from witnesses of the events do not exist. Her story is one of courage and rebellion as she led her people to revolt against the Roman invaders that had overtaken her land. She is considered to be formidable, cunning, and without fear. However, in examining the many ways in which she was represented through the stories of her deeds, one understands that she is presented by the Roman writers as a cautionary tale, and then reinterpreted as a romantic notion in order to use her story for artistic endeavors. Understanding the truth of her history means that one must look at the history of her tribe and the anthropological discoveries of how her society saw and experienced the world. Therefore, her Client’s Name 2 story is a patchwork of historical references that paint a picture of a woman fighting for her people. According to the histories, Boudica was the victim of the Roman manipulations of conquest, combined with their point of view on the value of women. While according to Richard Hingley in his history of Boudica the ancient Britons left no historical records that could tell their tales or reveal aspects of their culture.1 The history that we have of the time before and during the Roman conquest of the Britons are from assumptions made by researching what was left behind through anthropological means and by interpreting the histories that were left by other cultures that have references to the Britons during that time period. Therefore, one must examine the cultures that contribute information and the ways in which that information is received in order to create a better picture of the struggles that led Boudica to rebel and fight against the occupation by Rome. Boudica was the wife of Prasutagus, the king of the tribe of the Iceni. There is some controversy as to whether or not he was the king before Rome entered in 47 A.D. or if he was made king by virtue of agreeing to ally with them in order to secure that territory for the Romans.2 However, the basic catalyst for the revolt of his wife seems to be consistent. Prasutagus allied himself with the Romans and was therefore required to leave his kingdom to the emperor of Rome so that upon his death his rule would be handed over to the Romans. In an attempt to circumvent this agreement and to secure his bloodlines, he left his kingdom to both the emperor and to his wife and daughters to rule jointly. However, the Romans did not acknowledge Client’s Name 3 lineage and inheritance through the female lines, therefore Rome disavowed this portion of the will and to reinforce their decision, humiliated Boudica and her daughters. The form of humiliation, according to Tacitus, is clearly written that Boudica was flogged while her daughters were raped.3 In ancient Rome, the offense of rape was considered to be extreme hubris and resulted in a theft of honor from the family of the victim. The law provided that the rapist be subject to death by a member of the family if the rape was proven. The way in which the laws were written made it clear that rape was a matter of standing. In other words, a woman of ill-repute could not be considered raped, while a virgin, widow, or child could be considered raped. A slave could be considered rape, but it would be considered property damage. In Medieval England, the earliest time in which relevant records were available, rape was treated with harsh punishment. Execution of the offender, castration of his dog and horse, and de-clawing and de-beaking of his hawk, along with forfeiture of his land to the family of the victim was all parts of the punishments of the offender.4 The importance of understanding the perspective that both the Romans and the Britons held, or might of held, on rape is in understanding what the rape of the daughters of Boudica and Prasutagas would accomplish. According to the way in which women were regarded, the rape of these women should have destroyed the honor of their family and diminished their ability to lead as they were now ruined. Using rape as a psychological weapon was intended to take away all power that might have still laid within the prerogative of the family of Prasutagas. Some historians question why the family was left alive, rather than killing them and getting rid of the Client’s Name 4 potential problems that could have arisen. However, in looking at the perspective that was held on rape, one can see that the Romans did not hold much respect for women and most likely wanted them kept alive to live as an example of their authority and power. Dead, they would be martyrs, while alive they would be dishonored and shamed. However, this did not hold true for Boudica and her daughters. While the attempt was clear, the result was not as intended by the Roman invaders. According to various historical sources, it was not uncommon in Briton for leaders to be women. Both Tacitus and Dio Cassius refer to the leadership of women over the tribes and territories of the Britons. As well, history knows a great many details of at least one other queen, Cartimandua, who ruled over a large territory of Briton, quite possibly in conjunction with the Roman occupation.5 Another aspect of the flogging of Boudica was that she was stripped naked in front of her people. According to Roman concepts of honor, to be naked was to be made weak. Another example of this is found in the statue titled The Dying Gaul. The work shows him wounded and bleeding and without clothing. This was symbolic of his weakness to the Roman people6 This display of her body and the administered flogging was intended to make her appear weak in front of her people. However, the generally accepted concepts and philosophies of Rome were not the same as those held in Briton. The rule of Briton was not subject to male domination and by evidence of the will of Prasutagus, it would not be against the general attitude of the population for women to inherit a kingdom. The actions of the Romans as they intended to take the honor and respect of Client’s Name 5 Boudica and her daughters did not have the intended result. Instead, the people were angered by the disgrace that was intended and the survival of the women gave them power enough to gain the support of the council that would convene with the intend to defy the Romans. She was elected their leader and with their support, her decisions would help to mount a defiance of the Roman occupation of Briton. It is recorded that Boudica used wise strategies to mount her rebellion. It was opportunity of circumstance that gave her the opening she needed to start her attacks. The Roman governor of Britain, Caius Suetonius Paullinus began his second set of attacks on Wales, pulling troops from other areas and weakening the general defense of the territories. Boudica chose this moment in time to mount her first attack on Colchester and regain control of that Roman and Roman sympathizing town. She brought her army through the town and ravaged it, easily taking control. In addition to this well timed attack, she positioned men to wait for the Legion that would be recalled to take back the city who then ambushed the returning Roman troops, thus furthering their defeat.7 It is believed that Boudica burned the town of Colchester. There is archeological evidence to support this belief that came to light during the 20th century. Archeologists Hawkes and Hull dug in the area, which is now the area of Sheepen, during the 1930’s and discovered evidence that suggested that the town had been burned around the supposed time of Boudica’s rebellion. The use of archeaological finds in conjunction with the pieced together writings that tell her tale give support to the truth of her story. As well, more excavations between 1957 and 1961 by Client’s Name 6 Professor S. S. Frere revealed a row of shops that suggest evidence of having been destroyed by fire during that time.8 The beginning of her rebellion was gloriously successful, pushing her to move forward toward more victory. There is other archeological evidence that supports the story of Boudica. It is reported that she moved on from Colchester to London, which was only just beginning to grow as a city. Although many citizens retreated with Paullinus, many stayed behind and were witnesses and victims of the destruction that Boudica brought with her. According to Christopher A. Snyder, in his history of the Britons, 20 feet below the surface of the city of London, burned shards of Neronian pottery have been discovered, lending support to the timing of the raid by Boudica’s troops. As well, detached skulls were found in the Thames that may well be more evidence of the destruction that would have occurred during that time period.9 While the interpretation of archeological findings must be carefully constructed from threads of evidence, the dating of the materials, the written histories that must be interpreted through language and culture barriers, and the timing of events compared to what was written, allows some educated assumptions on the truth of the tales. The third city that would fall under Boudica was the city of Verulamium, to which the Roman troops had retreated when it became evident that they could not hold the city of London. Both Tacitus and Dio Cassius describe the events that took place under Boudica’s leadership as brutal massacres with none of the usual attempts made to salvage lives such as taking prisoners and slaves. The attacks were brutal and thorough in their destruction as they destroyed everything Client’s Name 7 in their path toward eradicating the Roman occupation. The refusal of a Roman commander, Poenius Postumus, to join with the legion led by Paullinus dealt a further blow to the Roman army as he attempted to quell the rebellious Britons.10 The next battle would be the deciding victory. It is reported by Tacitus and Dio Cassius that a speech was given by Boudica that was inspirational and poignant, rallying the ire of her army and building the confidence of those who followed her. Tacitus describes the speech of one that rallies the cries of her troops in outrage to the savagery that was committed against her and her daughters. Dio Cassius describes the event as a long speech which ended with an act of divinity where she released a hare from beneath her dress so that it might run to the side of the victor. According to the tale, the sign given by the hare suggested a victory for the Britons.11 According to the history written by Peter Salway, Paullinus chose his battleground carefully, giving himself every advantage, including a forest behind him as a protective shield and flanking the battleground with his own troops. As 80,000 Britons entered the area, a rain of javelins came down upon them which decimated the army, leaving it without much of a defense and the army of Paullinus, some 400 troops, dispatched the men, women and children that comprised the hoard of Boudica. It is reported by both Tacitus and Dio Cassius that Boudica escaped, only to die either from poison or sickness a short while later. Poenius Postumus killed himself from the shame of his actions and his legion was then free to go and join the troops of Paullinus who then gathered as many auxiliary troops as he could in order to go forth and destroy Client’s Name 8 all of the Britons who had supported the rebellion, securing the Roman hold on the territories.12 The difficulty in divining the truth of the story of Boudica is that the way in which the histories of Classic Roman writers are told suggests that they are biased toward promoting the Roman belief systems and enhanced from a literary stand point with devices that support the moral examples the stories are intended to reveal. Several aspects of the Roman philosophies influenced the way in which the story of Boudica is told. As previously addressed, the attitude toward the value of women strongly suggested that they were more property than individual. Therefore, the concept of a female leader was a foreign concept that challenged and intrigued the Roman male audience. As well, the fear that was prevalent in Roman society of the concept of monarch rule suggested that creating a figure that was noble, powerful, fearless, and female was increased by the idea that she was a queen over her people. According to Hingly and Unwin, the character of Boudica is recognizable as having similar characteristics of other foreign female leaders in Roman literature.13 Not all scholars have viewed the rebellion of Boudica as representing the same moral result. While most suggest that the rebellion represents an enduring spirit within the British spirit that aches for freedom from oppression, others see the tale as cautionary against such uprisings. Had Boudica succeeded in driving the Romans from Britain, the civilizing influence that changed the course of those cultures would never have taken root.14 The influence of Rome brought an order to the lands in which they occupied that still influences many of the modern day philosophies that are held in politics, art, and culture. While the period of the Renaissance Client’s Name 9 revived much of the classic elements of those philosophies and helped to create the humanism that would change the course of mankind, the root of these philosophies were established during the Roman occupations. Therefore, had Boudica succeeded in her efforts, the world would have changed its course and had a different philosophy from which culture has planted its roots. The background of Boudica is only suggested within the histories that are available to the modern world. It is suggested by both Tacitus and Dio Cassius that she was an aristocrat of noble birth and that her bond with her people is due to her ability to lead rather than any thought of her being born as one of them.15 However, when weighed against the standards of Roman literature and what was believed of monarch rule and female leadership, this aspect of her history becomes suspect. It is even uncertain if her name was actually Boudica as the spelling has many variations and is the feminized version of the Celtic word for Victory, or the name Victoria.16 While the evidence of her actual existence is circumstantial, enough evidence exists to suggest that she did exist create a formidable rebellion that put a pause on the advancement of the Romans into Briton. In Marion Zimmer Bradley’s novel, Ravens of Avalon, she writes her own version of the power behind Boudica’s leadership. From her perspective, the power she received was derived from the attempt that the Romans made to shame and discredit the Queen. She fictionalizes the conversation between Boudica and her daughters by saying that she says “The will look at you and see their own daughters….They will look at me and see their wives. They will feel the shame I felt when I could not protect you, that you felt when you could not help me and they will want Client’s Name 10 revenge…”17 It is the irony of the story that the very way in which the Romans wished to assert power, they lost it. It is the moral of the story that such hubris will cause a downfall, even if in the end the Roman army brought about victory. The telling of the tale includes a brutality that is not common from male leadership, which suggests that the Roman fascination with the foreign concept of female rule had to be tempered with a violence that was beyond that of which the were used to hearing. The story of Boudica brings many things to the forefront. The first and most important is that to underestimate another culture and to treat them without thought can create serious consequences. As well, a modern audience must understand that the history that is available is biased with the philosophies of the time and place from which it is written, considering that there are no written histories from the actual culture of Boudica. The relating of Boudica’s story suggests that she was a powerful leader with a charisma that extended well past the humiliation with which the Roman usurpers attempted to burden her. Her tale is a cautionary tale of the power of righteousness against the oppression of those who would impose power through unreasonably brutal means. The story also suggests that pride, when attached to even a righteous cause will bring about destruction as Boudica did fall when she marched brazenly forth thinking victory was well within her grasp. There is much archeological evidence to support the events that are related within the histories of Tacitus and Dio Cassius, therefore it is reasonable to believe that she existed and she achieved the victories that are attributed to her. As well, her tale is so compelling, one wants to believe in Boudica. References Hingley, Richard and Christina Unwin. 2006. Boudica: Iron Age warrior queen. London: Hambledon Continuum. Paxson, Diana L., and Marion Zimmer Bradley. 2007. Marion Zimmer Bradley's Ravens of Avalon. New York: Viking. Perry, Walter C. 1882. Greek and Roman sculpture; a popular introduction to the history of Greek and Roman sculpture. London: Longmans, Green. Salway, Peter. 2001. A history of Roman Britain. Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford University Press. Scott, Manda. 2005. Boudica: dreaming the hound. New York: Delacorte Press. Simon, Rita J. 2001. A comparative perspective on major social problems. Lanham, Md: Lexington Books. Snyder, Christopher A. 2003. The Britons. Malden, MA [u.a.]: Blackwell Publ. Read More