Boudicca Research Paper
How has Boudicca and Iceni women been portrayed by the Romans?
"She was huge of frame, terrifying of aspect, and with a harsh voice. A great mass of bright red hair fell to her knees: She wore a great twisted golden necklace, and a tunic of many colors, over which was a thick mantle, fastened by a brooch. Now she grasped a spear, to strike fear into all who watched her…" -Dio Cassius.
Two Roman historians, Tacitus and Dio Cassius wrote written accounts of Boudicca. Tacitus was against the Roman imperial system so his perception of Boudicca in his writings gives her a positive light. Dio Cassius was all for the imperial system, therefore his writings portray Boudicca in a savage and brutal way.
Boudicca, meaning “victory”, was Queen …show more content…
The written reports depict Boudicca and her army in wild and heartless language. Dio Cassius wrote a specific explanation of the abuse the Roman women suffered while Boudicca’s army marched through the city of London; “their breasts were cut off and stuffed in their mouths, so that they seemed to be eating them, then their bodies were skewered lengthwise on sharp stakes” (Webster, 68). Tacitus wrote a report of the finishing battle that shows the women running about hysterical, wild, naked and screaming.
After victory consisting of raids and burning, Boudicca was finding it hard to keep the peace between her army. The British fought for their country and families, although the Romans were battling for greed. Tacitus wrote what was apparently Boudicca’s last weep to her army: "The Britons were used to the leadership of women, but she came back before them not as a queen of a distinguished line, but as an ordinary woman, her body cut by the lash avenging the loss of her liberty, and the outrages imposed on her daughters. Roman greed spares neither their bodies, the old or the virgins. The gods were on our side in our quest for vengeance, one legion had already perished, the others are cowering in their forts to escape. They could never face the roar of our thousands,
"She was huge of frame, terrifying of aspect, and with a harsh voice. A great mass of bright red hair fell to her knees: She wore a great twisted golden necklace, and a tunic of many colors, over which was a thick mantle, fastened by a brooch. Now she grasped a spear, to strike fear into all who watched her…" -Dio Cassius.
Two Roman historians, Tacitus and Dio Cassius wrote written accounts of Boudicca. Tacitus was against the Roman imperial system so his perception of Boudicca in his writings gives her a positive light. Dio Cassius was all for the imperial system, therefore his writings portray Boudicca in a savage and brutal way.
Boudicca, meaning “victory”, was Queen …show more content…
The written reports depict Boudicca and her army in wild and heartless language. Dio Cassius wrote a specific explanation of the abuse the Roman women suffered while Boudicca’s army marched through the city of London; “their breasts were cut off and stuffed in their mouths, so that they seemed to be eating them, then their bodies were skewered lengthwise on sharp stakes” (Webster, 68). Tacitus wrote a report of the finishing battle that shows the women running about hysterical, wild, naked and screaming.
After victory consisting of raids and burning, Boudicca was finding it hard to keep the peace between her army. The British fought for their country and families, although the Romans were battling for greed. Tacitus wrote what was apparently Boudicca’s last weep to her army: "The Britons were used to the leadership of women, but she came back before them not as a queen of a distinguished line, but as an ordinary woman, her body cut by the lash avenging the loss of her liberty, and the outrages imposed on her daughters. Roman greed spares neither their bodies, the old or the virgins. The gods were on our side in our quest for vengeance, one legion had already perished, the others are cowering in their forts to escape. They could never face the roar of our thousands,