Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen [Paperback]

Richard Hingley (Author), Christina Unwin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2006

Boudica, or Boadicea, queen of the Iceni, led a famous revolt against Roman rule in Britain in AD 60, sacking London, Colchester and St Albans and throwing the province into chaos. Although then defeated by the governor, Suetonius Paulinus, her rebellion sent a shock wave across the empire. Who was this woman who defied Rome? Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen is an account of what we know about the real woman, from classical literature, written for the consumption of readers in Rome, and from the archaeological evidence. It also traces her extraordinary posthumous career as the earliest famous woman in British history. Since the Renaissance she has been seen as harridan, patriot, freedom fighter and feminist, written about in plays and novels, painted and sculpted, and recruited to many causes. She remains a tragic, yet inspirational, figure of unending interest.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'...This account, by two archaeologists, is a good one, and gives us all that we know for sure about this interesting figure, and all the myths and fantasies which have been built up around her.'

(Johnson, Paul Literary Review )

'...This account, by two archaeologists, is a good one, and gives us all that we know for sure about this interesting figure, and all the myths and fantasies which have been built up around her.'

(, Literary Review )

Book Description

Boudica, queen of the Iceni, led a famous revolt against Roman rule in Britain in AD 61, sacking London, Colchester and St. Albans and throwing the province into chaos. Although then defeated by the governor, Suetonius Paulinus, her rebellion sent a shock wave across the empire. Who was this woman who defied Rome? Boudica is an account of what we know about the real woman from classical literature and the archaeological evidence. It also traces her extraordinary posthumous career as the earliest famous woman in British history. Since the Renaissance she has been seen as harridan, patriot, freedom fighter and feminist, written about in plays and novels, painted and sculpted, and recruited to many causes.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Hambledon Continuum (August 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1852855169
• ISBN-13: 978-1852855161
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #359,384 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Woman of Victory, April 6, 2007

By 

K. Murphy "Fortune favors the Bold" (The thriving metropolis of Masury, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen (Paperback)

This book could not be given enough stars. It takes a fascinating episode in history, the revolt of the Queen of the Iceni of Britain in AD 60-61, and looks at it from historical, archaeological, literary, and mythical points of view. It shows how Boudica has went from simply the best-remembered of many contemporary British female warlords to variously being portrayed as a sadistic villian, a feminist hero, and a champion of British nationalism and politics. Overall, the book examines the real Boudica's role in history and her subsequent impact on modern Britain in a manner that is both informative and enjoyable to read. It is a fine source on Queen Boudica, the Celtic 'Woman of Victory' from every perspective!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best book on Boudica yet, June 4, 2008

By 

S. Johnston (Bowie, MD) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen (Paperback)

This is one of the best books on Boudica yet, and if you only read one, this should be the one you read. There is relatively little known about the woman that has become so important in some many ways to so many segments of society, and what is "known" should be treated with caution. Hingley and Unwin do an excellent job of showing what we do know, what we don't know, and what we might know but should think critically about in the context of the story of Boudica. They manage to create an interesting story without compromising on the evidence, avoiding what so many do when they say all the right things about biased sources and then mostly ignore what they just said and relate what those sources say as fact. Instead, Hingley and Unwin weave the critical assessment of both written and archaeological courses into their discussion in a way that keep it relevant to the story they tell. This story is given substance by the up-to-date discussion of current archaeological research on the period, which provides as useful review for professionals and interested others alike. The second half of the book was also interesting, providing a review of the ways in which "Boudica" became transformed into "Boadicea", the cultural icon variously of the right, the left, and the centre. This is far more standard in this type of literature, but nonetheless valuable in terms of what it brings to the table.
Probably most importantly, they manage to do all this in a highly readable fashion. Tackling the deconstruction of assumptions of Roman superiority, the inevitability of Romanization, and the uncritical use of written sources can often get mired down in jargon and so sail beyond what most people understand or care about. However, this book does it in a way that is both accessible and convincing. Nice job all around!

5.0 out of 5 stars All that is known about Boudica, January 29, 2012

By 

bobofva - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Boudica: Iron Age Warrior Queen (Paperback)

The author gave all the available information about Boudica and gave us some intelligent quesses about the rest of her story. Even the cover picture of Boudica is the best available image of her. If you want to know Boudica's story, read this book.