The Daring Book for Girls - Andrea J. Buchanan [106]
Later that year, the Roman governor Suetonius decided to conquer Wales, on Britain’s western shore. As the soldiers of his fearsome Legion marched westward, they left the cities of Camulodunum and Londinium largely undefended.
Boudica sensed her chance. She claimed the mantle of leadership and stirred her people to reclaim their freedom and liberty. She reminded them of the horror and cruelty of Roman rule, and rallied them to win back their lands.
Boudica outlined her plan. Suetonius was in Wales, routing Druids on the Isle of Mona. Leading the way in her horse-drawn chariot, with 100,000 British fighters behind her, she would attack Camulodunum first. All around, miraculous omens pointed to Boudica’s success; ancient reports tell us that the city’s Victory statue fell from its tall base to the ground below with no cause, as if Rome were already yielding.
Boudica’s troops stormed the city’s gates. By day’s end the city was in flames. A small group of Roman soldiers and leaders locked themselves inside the Temple of Claudius, holding out for two days until Boudica burned the Temple to the ground.
After hearing of Boudica’s victory at Camulodunum, the Roman governor Suetonius left Wales and headed straight back to London to protect it from Boudica’s rampaging soldiers. Seeing Boudica’s willingness to burn cities to the ground, he decided, however, to abandon London to her fires. Boudica’s soldiers left 25,000 people dead in London before advancing to Verulamium, Britain’s third-largest city, where they killed everyone who had cooperated with the Romans, and then destroyed the city.
Boudica’s army began to falter. As Suetonius’ men approached, they burnt the crops in the fields, sending ripened corn and beans into smoke, and leaving nothing to feed Boudica’s troops and keep them strong. Boudica had successfully destroyed unarmed cities, but Suetonius and his professional legions were too strong for the relatively untrained British Celts, whose luck now turned. Boudica fought one final battle, the place of which is unknown. Her troops had to start from the bottom of a tall hill and face off against the Romans, who were strategically encamped at the top. Roman arrows and pikes rained down on the Celts. Boudica’s fighters were overpowered, and many were lost to battle.
The rebellion was over. As night fell, Boudica abandoned the glorious bronze chariot that had served her well. She grabbed her two teenage daughters by the hand and together the three of them ran through the darkness, returning home to their palace along hidden paths and back roads. Once home, they knew they would be captured and brought to Rome to be displayed in chains to the jeering crowds at the Coliseum. Instead, Boudica decided to end her own life by drinking a cup of poison, and her princess-daughters took the same route. It is said that when her closest relatives entered the palace, they found Boudica wearing her legendary tunic of brilliant colors, covered with a deep auburn cloak, her flaming red hair still untamed.
Roller Skating
THE FIRST ROLLER SKATES, created in the 1700s, resembled today’s in-line skates: a single line of metal wheels. Even in the next century, the first patented roller skate design followed the alignment of three wheels in a row. It wasn’t until 1863 that a man named James Plimpton revolutionized the design by inventing a skate with two pairs of wheels set side by side, also known as a quad skate. The new skate quickly became the standard, due to its greater control and ease in turning, and even more refinements were made: ball and cone bearings helped improve the skate’s maneuverability, and the toe stop was patented in 1876. Roller skating increased in popularity and reached its heyday in the US during the 1970s and 80s; in the 90s a modern inline skate design, the Rollerblade, took the lead as roller rinks gave way to outdoor skating. But roller skates are still made, and the fun to be had on skates is everything it used to be.
If you’ve never skated