Product Description

Boudica has been immortalised throughout history as the woman who dared take on the Romans - an act of vengeance on behalf of her daughters, tribe and enslaved country. Her known life is a rich tapestry of wife, widow, mother, queen and Celtic quasi-Goddess. But beneath this, lies a history both dark and shocking, with fresh archaeological evidence adding new depth and terrifying detail to the worn-out myths. From the proud warrior tribes of her East Anglian childhood to the battlefields of her defeat, this is a vividly written and evocatively told story, bringing a wealth of new research and insight to bear on one of the key figures in British history and mythology. From the author of the much-praised "Captain Cook" comes a major new historical biography; a gripping and enlightening recreation of Boudica, her life, her adversaries, and the turbulant era she bestrode.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #245083 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-06
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 400 pages

Review
"'I am fighting as an ordinary person for my lost freedom, my brulsed body and outraged daughters.' Tacitus account of the Boudican revolt"

Sunday Times
Collingridge is...intelligent and infectiously enthusiastic...a beguiling travelogue-cum-history

From the Publisher
A vividly written and intensely researched new biography of an iconic figure in British history

Customer Reviews

Much more than just a Boudica biography!
On first viewing it looks just like another ramble through the usual current theories, but when you actually start reading the book it provides much more than that.

For a start the reader doesn't get to read about Boudica and her tribal background/story till you've read 160+ pages. This might seem odd, but the author is very thorough in giving the background information on Rome and the Romans, so that the reader can get to grips with the Roman way of life, their attempts to invade Britain in 54/55BC, why it failed and why they came back in 43AD; their beliefs and way of life are also covered, so that once you get to the Boudica era you understand better why the Romans thought and acted in the way they did.

The same background information is given on the Iceni tribe, along with other tribes such as the Brigantes and their queen Cartimandua. This in turn helps the reader to understand the possible reasons for the way Boudica reacted to events.

After the end of the Boudica events, the author goes on into how Britain was after her demise, and then through history to the current day, and how the image of Boudica had been used, from Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria to Margaret Thatcher. A fascinating "journey" to take to see how myth and history were twisted to each era's ideals. In doing so we are given a look at how Britain became conscious of itself, and linked Britannia with Boudica and the pride of being British.

This is an excellent book, full of information. Using quotes from texts, like Tacitus and even poems from later centuries to prove a point. Every person the author spoke to in regards to researching this book are given space for their actual quotes/words rather than the author just writing an interpretation of their theories.

From extensive archaeology research to archives and research of the myths, this is just a wonderful book...and the most objective and unbiased look of the era I've ever read. 5 Stars!

A fascinating, enjoyable read
This is a fascinating biography of Boudica, and should help people to understand this incredible warrior queen, about which so much is often myth. This book is by far the best biography, and the most enjoyable to read.

No person lives in isolation, and an understanding of the times they lived in, and events which had occurred before they were even born, are necessary in order to fully appreciate their life. So it is great that Collingridge spends so much time taking the reader through the background to Rome, the Romans and the situation in Britain - we had a fascinating history in this island before the Romans even set foot here! Reactions on both sides are better understand when you actually do come to the clashes between Boudica and the Romans, for having read why the Romans acted and thought the way they did about themselves, the Britons and women - all important influences on the way Boudica and her story was recorded and passed down to the generations. The writings of the Roman historians are used, as they are the earliest written records we have of Boudica. But these are nicely balance with the archaeological finds - and also the finds from metal detectors, who are now getting a much more positive press than in the past.
Fantastically, fellow British queen Cartimandua, ruler of the Brigantes, often overlooked, is also given coverage in the book- and helps towards our understanding as to the reasons behind why Boudica reacted the way she did.

The book doesn't end with the death of Boudica but is a travel through time, showing how she has been used through the ages, up to modern times, from Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria to Margaret Thatcher. This is important, to deconstruct the myths that most readers (myself included) will come to the book with. It shows how myth and history were used for the outcomes desired - whether to align themselves with the courageous aspects of Boudica, or to ridicule a female leader.

All of this information is backed up by quotes - both from the texts and from people that Collingridge interviewed and talked to in preparation for the book, historians, archaeologists, even pop stars! They are given their actual words, rather than being paraphrased. And modern, uptodate archaeological finds - which inform so much of our understanding of Boudica - are also used and highlighted.

One of the delights of this book, and Collingridge's other book on Captain Cook as well, is the accessible and immediate prose used. You come away feeling intelligent without being patronised and it is amazing how much you take in without realising it! You come away feeling like you have been with Collingridge on a personal journey into the myth, legend and history which is Boudica.

Mixed bag that rather labours its points in some places
A bit of a mixed bag. This 400 pager is not really a biography of Boudica in the traditional sense of the term. Indeed, little in the way of hard fact is known about the actual events of her life - or rather of the last year or so of her life that we know about from Tacitus and Cassius Dio - so only really enough to fill barely a quarter of the book. The first half of the book covers previous Roman and British history at some length on the basis - understandable to a degree, but stretched here to breaking point at nearly 200 pages - that one needs to understand that earlier history in order to understand Boudica. The last quarter looks at Boudican symbolism in literature and in popular and political culture over the centuries and makes some interesting points, though rather labours the Britannia imagery and constant comparisons to famous females including Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria, Margaret Thatcher and even Princess Diana. Probably the most interesting aspect of the book is the coverage of archaeological finds, what has been extrapolated from them and how this relates or not to what Tacitus and Cassius Dio tell us.