Boudicca's Revolt Essay

The way in which the Romans unfairly treated the Celtic people, particularly the Iceni tribe and its royal family, whilst they were in rule was the main factor that contributed to Boudicca’s revolt against Roman rule. Elements of Rome’s abusive treatment of the Celtic people including their high taxation, disarmament order, land confiscation, forced conscription and other harsh treatments each enhanced the growing hostility between the tribes and Rome that encouraged the rebellion. This gave cause for a rebellion however it was specifically the betrayal of the Iceni tribe, with their land pillaged, the king’s will disregarded, their queen being flogged, and her daughters raped that provided the final spark needed for the revolt to occur. Hostility

Large hoards of Roman coins found near the area the Iceni tribe located provide evidence for the desperate measures the Iceni people had to go to in order to protect their possessions from the Roman’s pillaging and calling in of ‘loans’. This demonstrates cause for Boudicca’s revolt as seeing her people treated this way would provide further incentive to rebel against Roman rule. An extract from Tacitus’ Annals states that whilst rallying troops, Boudicca said “I am avenging lost freedom, my scourged body, the outraged chastity of my daughters… not our very persons, nor even age or virginity, are left unpolluted” which exemplifies that what had enraged Boudicca to the point of revolt was the horrible treatment and control of her peoples, the lack of freedom, and the brutal way in which the Romans whipped her and raped her daughters. Both the hoards of Roman coins discovered and Tactus’ Annals provide evidence as to why it was the treatment of her own people and family that pushed Boudicca’s anger to the point of rebelling against Roman rule. Evidence such as Taccitus’ Annals, Cassius Dio’s Roman History, decapitated skulls found at Colchester and hoards of Roman coins, all contribute as factors to why Boudicca revolted against Roman rule. These factors are mainly comprised of the fact that the Romans in power treated