You Did What__ Mad Plans and Great Historical Disasters - Bill Fawcett [3]
From A.D. 43 to 50 the Romans worked to develop the new province, establishing trade routes with ports at Camulodunum, Londinium and Richborough to bring in new goods to interest their British subjects in the fruits of the wider world. Prasutagus, king of one of the three tribes of the Iceni, welcomed Roman products and Roman philosophy. The Iceni started to feel comfortable in their new state. They struck their own silver coins, depicting the horses that were their greatest treasures, some of which went as tribute to their new overlords. For their part the Romans created a line of forts along the Fosse Way, a road that led from the southwest of the country northeast to the River Humber, to protect their conquered lands from the barbarians who lived outside their borders.
However, the Romans had not been accepted by everybody in Britain. The local peoples watched with trepidation as a colonia was established in Camulodunum (modern Colchester), a collection of villas around a trading center that would become home to soldiers who were retired from their legions but could be mustered again if needed. A huge temple to Claudius Caesar was raised there, built using funds raised not from donations of the faithful, as was customary, but by a levy on the captive kingdoms of Britain.
The Roman governor was constantly having to subdue revolts. One that was nearly successful was led by the great Celtic war leader Caractacus. The Romans became nervous about the other tribes in their conquered region, and invaded provinces beyond the original line of demarcation. They also announced to their client states a demand that all weapons except hunting implements be surrendered. Arms, especially beautifully made and ornamented iron swords crafted by skilled Celtic smiths, were prized by the Britons, who rebelled at having to give them up. Prasutagus, king of the Iceni, was the first to rise. He called upon his neighbors to the south to join him. The Romans put down this minor revolt, yet left Prasutagus and his fellow rulers as kings.
The tribes came to understand that their conquerors did not entirely trust them. They were wise enough to know that a lack of trust could easily give way to fear. They prepared to defend their interests against their overlords but remained outwardly pro-Roman, paying the hated taxes in exchange for the benefits of citizenship.
In A.D. 60, Prasutagus died, leaving his kingdom jointly in the hands of his two daughters and Emperor Nero, in hopes that the friendly relationship with Rome would persist after his death. The local imperial agents, seeing an opportunity to destroy the royal family, invaded the Iceni state, looted the residence, and raped the two princesses in the presence of their mother, Queen Boudicca, who was flogged by slaves. The Roman agents hoped the humiliation of the royal house would drive the Iceni to their knees, so they could stop pretending that these British barbarians were equal to civilized Romans. It was a terrible mistake. They did not understand the will of Boudicca.
Furious and insulted, the queen plotted revolution with surrounding tribes. She was reputed to be a great beauty, but she must have had charisma and a strong mind as well. She managed to convince the others that their only hope lay in driving the Romans out. In A.D. 60, the Iceni, accompanied by the Trinovantes and many others, rose in revolt against the occupiers. Their prized horses drew armed warriors in lightly built woven chariots, not the scythe-wheeled carts that are often depicted in movies. Boudicca herself led her force southward.
Their first target was the colonia at Camulodunum. Most of the settlers fled to the despised temple and sent for help from the governor, Suetonius. Suetonius was in the northwest, battling the druids in Anglesey. They also sent messages to the agent in Londinium, Catus Decianus,