Boudicca rebels

Trouble flared just 17 years after the invasion when the king of the Iceni, a British tribe in the east, died. His wife – Boudicca – became queen.

The Romans used the king's death as an excuse to take over the tribe's lands and stop Boudicca becoming queen.

Many people in the kingdom had their property taken away and others were harshly treated – especially the women.

In desperation, in AD 60 Boudicca rallied other people whose lands had also been seized and started a rebellion.

Boudicca attacks

Boudicca chose to wait until the main Roman army was far to the west in Wales, then she launched her attack. Boudicca and her followers advanced through the town of St Albans (then called Verulamium) and down to London (Londinium), which they burned to the ground. The rebels killed anyone who they thought was connected with the Romans. In all some 70,000 people were killed by the rebels.

There was never any question of Boudicca winning, or even coming to a peaceable agreement with the Romans. The Roman army slowly but surely took back control. Faced with defeat, Boudicca took poison rather than be captured.

But it did make the Romans realise they had to treat the British with more respect. As a result, there was never another rebellion like Boudicca's.