Boudicca – also known as Boadicea in Latin – is an emblematic but controversial figure.
Regarded by some as one of the first feminist activists for freedom and by others as a brutal and bloodthirsty murderer, he has always been present in the history of the world. ;Europe.
About 2,000 years ago, this Iron Age aristocrat led a revolt and almost defeated the mighty Roman armies that invaded his country, in what would today be the 39, East Anglia, in the north-east of England.
To be loved or hated, Boudicca has a place in history as a pioneer, with the ability to gather a large number of troops from different tribes with their natural talent to command.
What leadership lessons can be learned from this warrior queen?
1. Boudicca has always been portrayed as a fearless warrior – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "title =" Dressed to impress – Boudicca has always been touted as a fearless warrior – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "src =" data: image / jpeg; base64, / 9j / 4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD / 2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsKCwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT / 2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT / wgARCAAZABkDASIAAhEBAxEB / 8QAFwABAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAcFBv / EABYBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQDAf / aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABQ VFs4qbv1xKX + + yO85qGJBfJMQpK6hv / xAAgEAABBAIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAQIDBQARNBITFBU1 / 9oACAEBAAEFAlnZ3LA9BIgj4SxNZbHuS463yv8AYLDLrLypRbQ6tnZHTM8Cw1kn2TeQPzc // 8QAGREBAAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQACEQMS / 9oACAEDAQE / Aa8RZavmJgIy5k // xAAaEQACAwEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIREgMh / 9oACAECAQE / AdMvRHo7aI + s / + svbSbb9S C75YVEROYLcnldZPpHdr / AHiNtp82wvQmxrjCaTUwy8yKKS3Cbd / VCKU2xURt2k4oveGDcQXa0FOKrnzpO 6X7Cx8x0 + // xAAhEAEAAgIBAwUAAAAAAAAAAAABESEAMWEQQVEgcYGh8P / aAAgBAQABPyELQK3jItuJJRi2r3xhHZMuJfa5JjJ84DiBqOQEvt8ZJpYGEZ3vT5GsXqFnAtHOonjIZ3OBJNS8F1jHsQnJ8rrIBqMIHa jRdP4s6f + R9 + / + aAAwDAQACAAMAAAAQ OLN / 8QAGxEAAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAERMSFBYaH / 2gAIAQMBAT 8Q90Jrsa8M9HQlzZ // xAAaEQEBAAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABEhMVFx / 9oACAECAQE / EAjZKXkhpxIRx1f / xAAgEAEAAQQCAgMAAAAAAAAAAAABEQAhMUEQYVHBgZGh / 9oACAEBAAE / EDyUILu / 2Q cVFAXPqsQACWksKQufgMoyywoXmzhK6KN86WhSuJI6GlSjEFkjA0lMCJNlJKhC1CKJCKm4lWYXLdVCvUVS8oWXAAaoojEINQSdaQBFZLVbWjEIUGDdXBIGcj8vvj78HvlH // == "/> [19659008] Dressed to impress – Boudicca has always been presented as a fearless warrior – Photo: Getty Images via BBC" title = "Dressed to impress – Boudicca has always been described as a fearless warrior – photo: Getty Images via BBC" data-src = https://s2.glbimg.com/xV78N4a46mo_9E4E-Fm_ERt-Tyk=/0x0:549×549/984×0/smart /filters:strip_icc()/i.s3.glbimg.com/v1
Dressed to Impress – Boudicca has always been touted as a fearless warrior – Photo: Getty Images via BBC
Everyone knows about it importance to dress for the occasion – but Boudicca is one of the few people to understand how much it makes a difference.
She is commonly described as a ferocious and powerful woman, driving her own chariot and wielding a spear, her wild hair flying in the wind.
One can not know how the queen was, but the Roman historian Cbadius Dio – who wrote decades after his death – offers this description:
"She was very tall, seemingly terrifying, At one glance, a large mbad of black hair fell on her hips, around her neck was a large gold necklace and she wore a tunic of different colors, on which a thick coat was attached.
There is no doubt that Boudicca was one of the first to adopt the power of clothing to convey a message – she knew how to make the most of it, leaving a lasting impression on her enemies.
2. A strong name can carry you away
True to its name, which means victory, Boudicca was well Boudicca name is derived from the ancient British word "bud", which means victory.
Boudeg means bearer of victory and Boudega – the female alternative – which brings victory.
We can badume that it is not the name that the Queen Warrior received at birth, but rather the one she adopted later.
The strong name seems to have contributed to the mobilization of an army
3. Never underestimate his abilities
Prasutagus, Boudicca's husband, was the leader of the Iceni tribe in eastern England, and he was tolerant of from the Roman invaders and was therefore allowed to continue to rule his people.
But on the death of Prasutagus, the Romans decide to intervene
They took land and when Boudicca refused to pay large taxes, she was publicly beaten and forced to watch the rape of her two daughters, who were about 12 years old at the time. time.
The Romans misjudged the results of their punishment.
They also underestimated the anger of a despised queen: Boudicca decided to retaliate, gathering troops from his own tribe and others.
The badembled soldiers defeated the ninth Roman legion, destroying the Roman capital of Britain, Colchester, beyond the cities of London and St Albans.
4. Boudicca lost the final battle for the Romans – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "title =" Even after winning victories, Boudicca lost the final battle for Roman – photo: Getty Images via BBC "src =" data: image / jpeg; base64, / 9j / 4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD / 2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsKCwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT / 2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT / wgARCAAZABkDASIAAhEBAxEB / 8QAFwAAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAUGA // EABgBAAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACAwQF / 9oADAMBAAIQAxAAAAFCatfc7eCVlFgXZro91rSaltKn / 8QAHhAAAQUAAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwABAgQFEjMTFTT / 2gAIAQEAAQUCfOmGA6j5koGlph9XFHk8tHYrXwwPvBJDiNNbNafHvN4zWp0rXDQT9ZvryOxf / 8QAFxEBAAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABARMf / aAAgBAwEBPwGMU EABcRAQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABERL // / // 2gAIAQIBAT8BSVnTX EADAQAAIBAgQCBQ0AAAAAAAAAACAwARBBIhcSJRBTEykbEQMyQUVhg5Oz0fDx / 9oACAEBAAY / IAH sG9lze3OkxSKvD1BFJuT / AGoZSSyx543u3FztXqPGspziKKJnCynJrcXP7yo4mN42xCxekWMGxHw2oYJoAEnhzDEZrF ldvFdx Htt + + / + FQmVc7LmUrY8INPBNLGsWrLLfS99RvtRljiaSBnyedGhz26hyr3n9cVNvWF2l 41dJ / L8PJ EACIQAQABAwMEAwAAAAAAAAAAAAERACExQWGxEFFxkSCh8P // / + aAAgBAQABPyFuZEacvh5pqpIqQr2CcZOlByIDRuCbrwVtKskasJAJqEK4wqSdxuuQImwOShNi GGMwEdqvHSqNNRMmTK47ZZzUmaHG4VhnL0wlAvU5RcpIGU 1b1t / vvX2HD8Daf / aAAwDAQACAAMAAAAQJG5R / 8QAGREBAAMBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQARITFx / 9oACAEDAQE / EM1DkU9grvsEl3P / xAAaEQEAAwADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABABExQWHw / 9oACAECAQE / ELWhdiuogVnriTif / 8QAHxABAQACAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAREhMQBBEGFR0fDx / 9oACAEBAAE / EA3SZUQqTe vS64x8 + / wE0BaQrGoIcPXscaBWLVwkFYc / o / fnXX2 Boudicca lost the final battle for the Romans – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "title = "Even after winning, Boudicca lost the final battle to win the final match against Boudicca. the Romans – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "data-src =" https://s2.glbimg.com/J7r2 7ac6csUrK1ya8Xsl Boudicca loses the final battle for the Romans – Photo: Getty Images via BBC
As a result of the fall of London and St Albans, the Roman governor decides to gather his troops and confront the army of Boudicca.
Although she seemed to have a numerical advantage, the unruly and ill-equipped men of the Queen could not compete with the skill of professionally trained and well-trained Roman troops.
Even with ten times more soldiers, as is now supposed, Boudicca was defeated by the Roman army. She died shortly after her failure, after being poisoned herself.
5. Stand out in the crowd
The Boudicca attack was not the only one to oppose the Roman occupation, but its rebellion stands out in the history mainly because she was a woman.
British archaeologist Jane Webster of the University of Newcastle states that "women leaders offend Roman sensibilities".
"This was not the order of things, which is why we know much more about this rebellion than about many others against Rome.
Professor Miranda Aldhouse-Green, also a British archaeologist and writer, thinks that Boudicca "is an emblematic figure because she is one of the few women to face the power of Rome".
In fact, she remains the only woman to have led the combined forces of Britain against an occupation army.
The historical records we have about Boudicca are sparse, the missing details and the ones that exist are often contradictory, but Webster says that "she stayed in the literature and persisted as a good example of rebellion because she was a woman ".
6. The suffrage movement was inspired by the warrior queen in her fight for the vote – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "title =" The suffrage movement was inspired by the warrior queen in her fight for the vote – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "src =" data: image / jpeg; base64, / 9j / 4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD / 2wBDAAMCAgMCAgMDAwMEAwMEBQgFBQQEBQoHBwYIDAoMDAsKCwsNDhIQDQ4RDgsLEBYQERMUFRUVDA8XGBYUGBIUFRT / 2wBDAQMEBAUEBQkFBQkUDQsNFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBQUFBT / wgARCAAOABkDASIAAhEBAxEB / 8QAGQAAAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwYCBAUH / 8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP / aAAwDAQACEAMQAAABUxbvKR / kCif / xAAeEAABAwQDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAQMFAAIGEQcUFv / aAAgBAQABBQLHZodpI6VQ9DC3GIjaUHx2ux7kDkcge6I / s3q 8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP // / // aAAgBAwEBPwE 8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP / aAAgBAgEBPwE // 8QAJRAAAQIGAQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAgEDAAQREhMhIjJxlAUzQVGR / 9oACAEBAAY / ApmamBKZNWHMxuObVV oxkbmkS43Cv5Lqq1hiXzETePoqqV5prab7JHRL + + McamOBhVOX78RONbtbuDvQo9OepkM30mKF01tTUe2 / 5rkf / 8QAHhABAAICAwADAAAAAAAAAAAAA REhADEQQVGBkaH / 2gAIAQEAAT8hIPZu8iDtiqKyET6VgS6ElFXlhzMGdh0J8N8IwpTZlJ4QH3hlpQHzPzGDCpqaA6OB / wD / 2gAMAwEAAgADAAAAECHP / 8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP / aAAgBAwEBPxA 8QAFBEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEP // / // aAAgBAgEBPxA 8QAHRABAQADAAIDAA AAAAAAAAAAAREAITHB8EFRcf / aAAgBAQABPxBQT3RRW4sbhe5RycA5BfAEL9iGpcMEpqlAYS + isCGwPafGIakBaMBgnYEU0hjOtOvRArzFP / ZglDbXVj0v5795z // Z "/> <img clbad =" content-media__image picture "itemprop =" contentURL "alt =" The suffrage movement was inspired by the warrior queen in their struggle for vote – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "title =" The suffrage movement was inspired by the warrior queen in her fight for the vote – Photo: Getty Images via BBC "data-src =" https: //s2.glbimg. com / dzu5WwhwZpe78gCvOFj3gZ1LoQc = / 0x0: 976×549 / 984×0 / smart / filters: strip_icc () / i.s3.glbimg.com/v1/AUTH_59edd422cc84a879bd37670ae4f538a During the 16th century, people became interested again and and the story of the Roman historian Tacitus on the rebellion of Boudicca was resuscitated.
Another important and powerful woman in the men's world was the British Queen Elizabeth I, who claims to be inspired by the story of Boudicca.
Much later, the Victorians reinvented Boudicca as a figurehead of British imperialism.
Perhaps the warrior queen was more appropriately claimed by the suffragette movement and by women fighting for women's rights.
She became an important role model for a generation that fought against patriarchy and won the women's vote.
Professor Richard Hingley, archaeologist at the University of Durham in the United Kingdom, explains that because we know so little about it, Boudicca "is a very flexible and ambiguous character who can represent many different things to different persons".
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