Cause of the rebellion – Boudicca
Background / possible causes
-Southern Britain was invaded in 42 AD under the direction of the Emperor Claudius, nearly
all the southern regions fell quickly
-The one exception being the Iceni tribe of Norfolk, who had settled a deal early with the
Romans, and became a tribute state.
- However the king of this region, Prasatagus realised early which way the wind was blowing,
and in his will he left the country to his daughters and to the then Emperor Nero (this was a
way of trying to fend off the inevitable invasion by the Romans) It didn’t work
-. Prastagus’ wife, Boudicca tried to resist and she was publicly whipped and both her
teenage daughters were raped by Roman legionaries.
-This public humiliation is often seen as the flashpoint for the upcoming rebellion,
-The iceni rebellion started when the Romans confiscated the property of Inceni
-they brutally punished Boudicca
-They also raped Boudiccas two daughters
-however we must take note on the other possible factors that led her to revolt
-perhaps it could be because of the mistreatment of the Trinovantes
-or perhaps the calling in of loans by moneylenders
-or as revenge for the killing of the druids
-The Iceni were probably one of the original 11 tribes who submitted to Claudius in 43AD,
after which they retained their nominal independence in return for aligning themselves with
the Roman settlers.
Prasatagus/daughters
-Prasatagus thought he had secured his independence by leaving his lands jointly to his
daughters and to the Roman Emperor Nero in his will.
-However, when he died, in 61 or shortly before, his will was ignored.
-Tacitus describes the Romans as seizing lands & enslaving Icenians
Background / possible causes
-Southern Britain was invaded in 42 AD under the direction of the Emperor Claudius, nearly
all the southern regions fell quickly
-The one exception being the Iceni tribe of Norfolk, who had settled a deal early with the
Romans, and became a tribute state.
- However the king of this region, Prasatagus realised early which way the wind was blowing,
and in his will he left the country to his daughters and to the then Emperor Nero (this was a
way of trying to fend off the inevitable invasion by the Romans) It didn’t work
-. Prastagus’ wife, Boudicca tried to resist and she was publicly whipped and both her
teenage daughters were raped by Roman legionaries.
-This public humiliation is often seen as the flashpoint for the upcoming rebellion,
-The iceni rebellion started when the Romans confiscated the property of Inceni
-they brutally punished Boudicca
-They also raped Boudiccas two daughters
-however we must take note on the other possible factors that led her to revolt
-perhaps it could be because of the mistreatment of the Trinovantes
-or perhaps the calling in of loans by moneylenders
-or as revenge for the killing of the druids
-The Iceni were probably one of the original 11 tribes who submitted to Claudius in 43AD,
after which they retained their nominal independence in return for aligning themselves with
the Roman settlers.
Prasatagus/daughters
-Prasatagus thought he had secured his independence by leaving his lands jointly to his
daughters and to the Roman Emperor Nero in his will.
-However, when he died, in 61 or shortly before, his will was ignored.
-Tacitus describes the Romans as seizing lands & enslaving Icenians
