#camulodunum

[twofielder]

Coin of the Day #107 (8/19/2024)

A scarce type from a mint you don’t often see…

Roman Splinter State - Britannic Empire

BI Antoninianus - 22mm 3.58g

Carausius 286-293 AD

Camulodunum Mint

Obverse IMP C CARAVSIVS AVG

Bust of Carausius right, radiate, draped, cuirassed

Reverse PROVID AVGGG

Providentia standing left, holding baton and cornucopiae, globe at feet, S left, P right, C below

RIC V 364

[fluentisonus]

thinking about how this space was inhabited for about 500 years, and now it's been like 1500 since there's been a settlement there. I wonder if the landscape ever misses it

that said it's so interesting that this was a major roman town & yet there's nothing here anymore. like there's no continuous inhabitation besides a couple nearby farms, at some point people just left it & moved away

[mapsontheweb]

Settlements that were at one point the largest in Britain (since 0 AD)

by aimesh05/reddit

London: doesn't need an explanation, was at one point the largest city in the world

Winchester: the capital of Anglo Saxon England, believed to therefore have been the largest before being overtaken by London in the 11th century

St Albans: after Boudicca's sacking of Camulodunum and Londinium, Verulamium (modern day St Albans) was left the largest city in Britain for less than a year

Colchester: the provincial capital of Britannia during the Roman Empire until it was eclipsed by Londinium

[real-fire-emblem-takes]

Guesses on the next game’s naming scheme? I’m going for Roman towns. The fan base is really divided over what they think about Camulodunum.

we'd probably constantly call them cam or cammy for short

[royalghostsofhistory]

Boudicca

Queen Boudicca is considered to be a British heroine and a symbol of the struggle for justice and independence. She was a queen of the ancient Iceni tribe, and she led a failed uprising in 60 or 61 CE. Her name literally translates to "Victorious Woman", and it is sometimes spelled Boudica, Boudicca, Boadicea, and Boudicea, and sometimes as Buddug in Welsh.

Not much of Boudicca's early life is known, but it is believed she was not of the Iceni tribe and rather of royal descent. We don't even know when she was born, though it is estimated she was born between 25 and 30 CE. The historian, Cassius Dio, wrote "In stature, she was very tall, in appearance most terrifying, in the glance of her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh; a great mass of the tawniest hair fell to her hips; around her neck was a large golden necklace; and she wore a tunic of fivers colours over which a thick mantle was fastened with a brooch. This was her invariable attire." However, this was written more than a century after her death and wasn't translated into English until 1925, so it may not be accurate.

She may have married King Prasutagus of the Iceni tribe somewhere between the years of 43-45 CE. The Iceni was a Celtic tribe that inhabited what is now Norfolk in England, a parts of the neighbouring counties of Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Lincolnshire. Her husband may have been one of the eleven kings who surrended to Claudius following the Roman conquest in 43. He was considered an ally of Rome and his tribe was allowed to remain independent to some degree, though disarmed.

Upon Pasutagus' death in 60 or 61 CE, he made his two daughters and the Roman Emperor, Nero, his heirs. The Romans ignored this will and absorbed the kingdom into the province of Brittania. It was Tacitus who detailed the Romans and their pillaging and ransacking, as well as the cruel treatment of Boudicca and her daughters. According to Tacitus, Boudicca was flogged and her daughters, possibly twelve years old, were raped.

Shortly after, Boudicca seemed to become the leading figure in a rebellion against the Romans, possibly because she wanted revenge for the humiliation she and her daughters had suffered. The first move was at Camulodunum (modern Colchester) where the queen captured the Roman forces. As the Roman governor, Seutonius, who was leading a military capaign in Wales, heard about the revolt, he left a garrison on the island of Mona and made his way to deal with Boudicca. He made it to Londinium (Roman London) before Boudicca but he was outnumbered and decided to abandon the town, which was burned down by the rebels after torturing and killing everyone who had remained. The Queen and her army proceeded onto Verulamium (modern St. Albans) and won another victory.

Suetonius regrouped his forces, amassing an army of 10,000 men at an unidentified location. They stood in a defile (a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills) and used this terrain to their advantage, apparently throwing javelins at the Britons. Though the Roman army was heavily outnumbered, Boudicca's army was defeated.

While Boudicca survived the battle initially, it is said she poisoned herself or that she fell ill. With Boudicca's defeat, the Roman's secured control over Britain.

In film a TV, Boudicca has been portrayed four times.

Boadicea (1927), a British silent film starring Phyllis Neilson-Terry.

Warrior Queen (1978), a British television series starring Sian Phillips.

Boudica (2003), a British television film starring Alex Kingston.

Boudica (2023), a British drama film starring Olga Kurylenko.

[denizbevan]

My long fic! Set first in Montreal, 2002, then all around England, following a certain band on tour...

Goldenheart

by Deniz_B

Stede’s in his last year at McGill University, sailing the life course charted by his father––earn the management degree, marry the chosen girl, take over the family business. One night, a mutual friend introduces him to Ed, fellow student and lead singer of an up and coming band. Their whirlwind romance has Stede standing up to his family for the first time––but it’s not enough. After a confrontation with his father, Stede is whisked away and locked up; his fairytale gone disastrously wrong. With an arranged marriage looming, Stede needs to be both the daring knight who rescues himself––and his enforced fiancée––and the prince who goes after his beloved. Except Ed’s band has caught their big break and are touring in England. No matter the distance, Stede’s determined to reach him. Can he do something this big on his own for the first time, without possessions, passport, or even a phone to let Ed know he’s on his way––before he loses the trust and love of the best man he’s ever met?

Or, March 2002 in Montreal: Stede and Ed find love among the snowy streets, late night pubs, and mayhem of the annual Saint Patrick’s Day parade––then try to find it all over again in deepest Yorkshire.

Words: 6109, Chapters: 1/26, Language: English

Fandoms: Our Flag Means Death (TV)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Stede Bonnet, Jim Jimenez, Oluwande Boodhari, Lucius Spriggs, Black Pete (Our Flag Means Death), Israel Hands, Fang (Our Flag Means Death), Ivan (Our Flag Means Death), The Swede (Our Flag Means Death), Frenchie (Our Flag Means Death), Wee John Feeney, Roach (Our Flag Means Death), Buttons (Our Flag Means Death), Edward Bonnet | Stede Bonnet’s Father, Chauncey Badminton, “Calico” Jack Rackham, Mary Allamby Bonnet

Relationships: Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet

Additional Tags: Montreal, Bands, Parades, fast burn, Happy Ending, Snow, 5+1 Things, University, Alternate Universe - College/University, Holmfirth, deep Stede pov, canon level bullying, lots of fluff, there’s angst but it’s shorter because I can’t bear for them to be apart, Bagels, so many Montreal things but don’t worry I have notes, a couple of original characters thrown in as Easter eggs, also a few Tolkien Easter eggs, hinted RPF appearance by a real band, I’m all over the place with these tags but it’s my first long fic and I hope you all love it, I may have over used M dashes

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/46141291

[joannerenaud]

Enchant the Heavens review

I've been revisiting a lot of my favorite old historicals since my beloved kitty Peggy died about a month ago, and one of them is Enchant the Heavens by Kathleen Morgan.

When I was a college student I loved romance novels, particularly historical romance, even though most of my friends at the time thought it was ridiculous and made fun of me for reading them. It made me even more stubborn, and I clung to the genre like a barnacle onto the hull of a ship. However, there was one book at the time that was too cheesy even for me, and that was Enchant the Heavens.

I found the cover embarrassing. Look, my teenage self thought, the hero’s hands look like he’s about to crack the heroine’s skull! And the hero, Marcus, was so earnest. The book was so earnest. The culture at the time was saturated with snark and irony, and sadly, I was not immune. I set the book down.

Years later, in 2011, I revisited Enchant the Heavens, and I found myself… well, enchanted. I was swept away by the epic nature of the story and the endearing characterizations. And I reread it just a week ago. I admit, I was afraid the suck fairy might’ve visited it over the intervening years. But I found myself devouring it happily just as I did all those years ago. And it’s good.

Enchant the Heavens was the first novel Kathleen Morgan ever wrote, and it was a labor of love. It’s a big, passionate, visceral, breathtakingly earnest romance.The story involves a British chieftain’s daughter, Rhianna, and the Roman governor’s nephew, Marcus, during Boudicca’s revolt, and their love is an anguished, star-crossed love that takes a great deal of blood and tears and hard work to resolve. Unlike most romances set during this period, the Celts aren’t romanticized into nature-loving New Agers, and the Romans aren’t evil. And neither the heroine or hero give up their cultures or identities in the end; in fact they work on uniting their communities in the aftermath of war. It’s mature and refreshing.

The language does have a lot of archaicisms that kind of annoying. ‘Twould! ’Twas! Naught! Okay… You just have to run with it. But if you’re willing to dive in, there is a lot to love about it. Rhianna is not afraid of revenge, or using her sword, which is really delightful (to avoid spoilers, I won’t tell you who she kills). Marcus is a reasonable guy too, but there’s just the right amount of deeply felt angst that is perfect for a story about forbidden love. Sometimes I feel that Marcus and Rhianna verge on being idealized archetypes then actual people, but it kind of fits with how epic and operatic the story is. (It really captures the vibe of ancient Irish stories like Deirdre, which was the author’s intention.) The author walks the line of having them be larger-than-life figures, but they still grow and change, from a thoughtless girl and a career-driven aristocrat to a responsible, compassionate leader and a humbled man ready to sacrifice his dreams to help his lover and her people.

The research put into this book isn’t perfect— towards the end of the book, there’s an hummingbird, native to the Americas, in Rome — but it’s thorough and thoughtful, and I liked the depiction of the historical figures. For example, the depiction of Nero, who has a brief and memorable cameo, is almost miraculous in how… sensible it is (and ahead of its time given this was written long before the current reassessment of Nero and the 2020 show at the British Museum). There’s no orgies or lions or gladiators or martyred Christians or any other cliches that I’ve seen over and over again in the few historical romances set in this period. It’s astonishing.

Anyway, this book is long. It’s also epic and sweeping in every possible way, and I have a feeling a good chunk was left on the cutting room floor. I would kill to have the original, unedited draft. Rhianna’s relationships with her friends Eilm and Cordaella are given short shrift. Also I feel the destruction of Camulodunum, and Rhianna’s role in it, was also cut a lot. I would have liked to see more of that, and Rhianna coming to terms with how her actions affected innocent civilians.

But the pacing, given how long it is, is surprisingly tight. I thought the consistent themes of freedom, symbolized by the goshawk, was really beautifully done; not heavy-handed, but subtle; and the story really embraces the pagan religions of the time in a way that’s delightful. There’s so much I can’t get into, or this review would be twice as long. There’s battles, druids, psychic visions, continent-spanning political intrigue, murder, and possibly supernatural white boars sent by the gods.

And the ending is really satisfying. I wish it were 20 to 30k longer, but it’s great as it is. It’s an absolute banger of a story. It’s not perfect but I’d give it a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Of course, what really sucks about it all is that this was going to be the beginning of a series, and the hero’s best friend Quintus was going to get a sequel.

There was, in fact, one sequel (Enchant the Dream) featuring the heroine’s brother Cerdic. But then the author converted to Christianity sometime in the late 90s, and her entire pre-conversion historical and fantasy backlist are completely unavailable. (Of course, her post conversion backlist is available.)

It pisses me off so much, because Enchant the Heavens is so good! And I wanted to see Quintus’s story! But that’s never going to happen. And there’s never going to be a legal digital copy of this book either, because the author has seemingly disavowed it.

But we’ll always have Enchant the Heavens, and even if Morgan wants to forget her pagan past, I am grateful she wrote this book. I highly recommend it.

[saesferd]

Romano-British copper alloy head of the emperor Nero from a life-size statue c. AD 54-59. British Museum 1965,1201.1 Possibly Gaulish manufacture. The head was found in the River Alde, Suffolk, on the boundary between British Iceni and Trinovantes tribal land, which suggests that it may have been deliberately deposited as an offering. The complete statue was probably torn down in nearby Camulodunum (Colchester) during the Boudiccan revolt c. AD 60 or 61.

[annarellix]

REBELLION by Simon Scarrow  (EAGLES OF EMPIRE 22)

AD.60 and Brittania is in chaos. Boudica has had a taste of victory against the formidable veterans in Camulodunum and she won’t stop now. How will Roman heroes Macro and Cato fare against the notorious Queen of the Britons?

A quick response to the rapidly advancing rebel forces, Governor Suetonius takes command leading his army to the besieged Londinium with prefect Cato and a mounted escort in tow. The grim reality of Britannia slipping deeper into chaos and hysteria becomes unmistakable as tribal warriors continue to swell the ranks of Boudica’s forces. Both Cato and Suetonius confront the sobering truth that minimal preparations have been made to confront a full-scale insurrection.

Meanwhile, in Londinium, a heart-wrenching revelation unfolds. Centurion Macro is among those missing following the Camulodunum massacre. Has Cato's loyal comrade, who has faced countless battles, met his ultimate challenge? As disaster looms, Cato readies himself for the next strategic move. Can he dare to hope that Macro, marked by battle and unflinching courage, has managed to evade these bloodthirsty rebels? In this pivotal military campaign, Cato knows that only one man he trusts stands beside him, and the fate of the Empire in Britannia hangs in the balance.

Book page: https://www.headline.co.uk/titles/simon-scarrow/rebellion-eagles-of-empire-22/9781472287076/

My Review: Note: you can read this book as a stand-alone but I think it’s a sort of follow-up to Death to the Emperor, the previous novel in this long series. Boudica’s rebellion is described in a lot of books but I think this one that describe is it could have been. It was gory, violent, sometime very cruel insurrection, a sort of guerrilla that nearly defeated Rome. The author did a good job in described the sense of confusion, the excitement, the violence. This age is not known for any type of Geneva treaty or piety, the Roman pietas is the sense of loyalty not any type of kindness The novel is fast paced, action packed, with some heartbreaking moments. There’s a lot violence and some scenes are a graphic description of what it was described by the historian so you’d better skip them if you are squeamish. I  was happy to catch up with Cato and Marco, felt for them and hope to read soon their new story as the aftermath of the rebellion won’t be easy. This story kept me reading till late in the night as I wanted to be sure that my favourite characters were going to survive. The storytelling is excellent and it’s well researched. There’s a lot of attention to the details. Highly recommended. Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Author: Simon Scarrow is a Sunday Times No. 1 bestselling author with several million copies of his books sold worldwide. After a childhood spent travelling the world, he pursued his great love of history as a teacher, before becoming a full-time writer. His Roman soldier heroes Cato and Macro made their debut in 2000 in UNDER THE EAGLE and have subsequently appeared in many bestsellers in the Eagles of the Empire series, including CENTURION, INVICTUS and DAY OF THE CAESARS. Many of the series have been Sunday Times bestsellers. REBELLION marks no.22 of Simon’s Eagles of the Empire Novels.

Simon Scarrow is also the author of a quartet of novels about the lives of the Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte, YOUNG BLOODS, THE GENERALS, FIRE AND SWORD and THE FIELDS OF DEATH; a novel about the 1565 Siege of Malta, SWORD & SCIMITAR; HEARTS OF STONE, set in Greece during the Second World War; and PLAYING WITH DEATH, a contemporary thriller written with Lee Francis. He also wrote the novels ARENA and INVADER with T. J. Andrews. His first Berlin thriller, BLACKOUT set in WW2 Berlin and first published in 2021 was a Richard and Judy Book Club pick with DEAD OF NIGHT following to critical acclaim earlier in 2023.  

Simon and ‘Eagle of the Empire’ series: Simon’s inspiration for the "Eagle of the Empire" series stems from a fascination with the Roman Empire's military and political intricacies. Scarrow's meticulous research and dedication to historical accuracy are evident in his works, where he skillfully weaves narratives around real historical events and figures. Simon has been inspired by his own life and experiences and sees himself in both his main characters Cato and Marco - Cato being who he was as a student and Marco who he has grown up to be. He has a knack for immersing readers in the ancient world and through his novels, he invites readers to embark on those journeys back in time, where empires clash in battles that have shaped the course of human history but encourages us to draw parallels to the political now through his stories of the then.

Website: https://www.simonscarrow.co.uk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SimonScarrow

[sineala]

Hi! :) So I've seen some of your historical RPFfics, and read some of your fics of the Eagle. And they are amazing!!! So I was thinking... have you ever considered writing an original-historical-fic? Maybe roman-themed? I would so love it if you ever did or any other original work you created! Well, hope you have a good night! :)

That's very sweet of you to say!

That is actually the one thing I have, in fact, considered writing. I have a couple of very short original Roman-themed stories I did absolutely nothing with, and at one point I had some of a novel-length fic planned out but I didn't leave myself enough notes so I don't remember the entire plot in enough detail to pick it up again.

It was going to be set in Roman Britain mostly because that's the thing I've read the most books about, and it was going to be about a charioteer because, despite what Hollywood attempts to tell us about gladiators, chariot racing was actually the sport everyone was extremely into. I had done some research and I believe the only place they've found a circus in Britain was Camulodunum (Colchester). Also, I like horses.

So -- and I don't actually remember why I wanted to do this -- it was going to be the epic love story of a charioteer and a frumentarius who for Reasons I had not worked out had been ordered to infiltrate the charioteers and then accidentally fell in love. (The frumentarii were a bunch of spies established by Hadrian; I believe they were attached to legions and had some theoretical job involving grain logistics -- hence the name -- but no, yeah, they were spies.)

Anyway. I did not write this, mostly because I feel extremely unconfident about my ability to write original fiction, so I never really have. And then I got into superhero fandom. But mostly it's that I feel like I wouldn't be any good at original fic and also I don't handle rejection very well, so I don't think trying to get anything published would be a good process for me.

But I'm glad you'd want to read something if I ever wrote it. IDK. Maybe one of these years.

[mariacallous]

wooo, just reread the back story of Mr. Punch again and it still gives me the cold chills

“He liked being a Roman and he was good at it,’ he said. ‘Loyal, but not too loyal, to his patron. Generous with his largesse, diligent in his religious observance. He was a true believer in law and order and all the benefits that brings a man born without a taste for violence.”

“And then one day it all came crashing down. Queen Boudicca lost her rag and led an army of seriously pissed-off Trinis and Iceni down through Camulodunum and ground the useless fucks of the Ninth into dog meat – literally, in some cases.”

“The story is that they killed his wife and his kids in front of him to force him to reveal where he’d buried his treasure. Slowly and painfully, and one by one, because they didn’t believe him when he said nothing was buried. Because he believed in truth, justice and the Roman way – so why would he need to bury anything? By the time they were working on his youngest they say he was laughing like a madman. And this started to freak them out, those big, brave Iceni child-killing warriors, so they slit his belly and left him to die.”

“So up he sprang. A thing full of hatred and mad laughter, capering through the ashes of the city. Because order did not save his children. Law did not save his wife. And, for all his faith in the gods, they did nothing. ‘But London is London, because of the bridge and the river and the north and the south. And so, almost before the ashes were cool, the Romans were back with their groma and their chromates – drawing their straight lines across the world. Cata set about them – waylaying them in the dark places, whispering in the ears of the drunk and foolish, rocking the boats and kicking over amphorae full of fish guts.”

“They did more than that,’ said Tyburn. ‘They made him a god.”

all those lines hit like a train

Oh god, I always forgot about his backstory.

[raymondduggantravel]

Introduction:

Nestled in the heart of Colchester, England's oldest recorded town, Castle Park stands as a testament to the rich tapestry of history, nature, and community that defines this iconic green space. Spanning over 11 hectares, the park is a cherished oasis of tranquility and beauty, offering visitors a captivating journey through the centuries, from its ancient Roman origins to its modern-day role as a vibrant cultural hub and recreational haven. In this comprehensive exploration, we will delve into the history, significance, and contemporary relevance of Castle Park Colchester, uncovering the stories and secrets that make it a cherished and enduring part of the local community.

A Journey Through Time: Ancient Origins and Medieval Legacy:

The history of Castle Park can be traced back over two millennia, to the Roman era when Colchester, then known as Camulodunum, was a thriving settlement and a key center of Roman administration and commerce. The park occupies the site of the ancient Roman town walls and the imposing Norman castle, which once stood as symbols of power and prestige in medieval England.

[denizbevan]

The story that started it all! I read ClaireGregory's fics of fics, then went and read piñacoladas and I was hooked. There are 8/10 chapters of this fic written but so far I've only posted the first. The only one that heavily features original characters! A few make cameos in other fics, especially Kedi...

Interlude from A Stitch In Time

by Deniz_B

TL,DR: piña coladas rearranged my brain chemistry and my life and I had to write about it.

Long version: Once upon a time, I read all of ClaireGregory’s stories, including the piña coladas ones. Then I finished NaNoWriMo early, and had some time, and thought I ought to read piña coladas itself. (And then I watched the show! But that’s a different story.) I read it and reread it and then I had to write about it. I brought in some of my original characters to share my brainrot and I thought I would get it out of my system and things would calm down. Six months and five fics (and counting!) later, it seems that “calm” is no longer in my vocabulary. This story’s not finished, but it doesn’t seem fair to not have it up here, when it came first.

TL,DR: Amelie and Angus own a pub and inn on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland. Amelie reads piña coladas and has to tell Angus about it.

Long version in the notes

Words: 4008, Chapters: 1/10, Language: English

Fandoms: Our Flag Means Death (TV)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: F/M, M/M

Characters: Original Characters, Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Stede Bonnet, Fancyman - Character, Fuckface - Character

Relationships: Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet

Additional Tags: fic of a fic, Inspired by piña coladas - faeeebaeee, Infertility, Scotland, Isle of Lewis, pub, inn, farm, Marriage, all the songs from 1987, Age Difference, Happy Ending

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/46390942

[ginandoldlace]

The name Boudica or Boudicca (also known as Boadicea or in Welsh, Buddug) is known from a couple of ancient sources. Tacitus (Annals) calls her Boudicca, while Cassius Dio (Roman History), who wrote in Greek, called her Βουδουῖκα - Boudouika. As the name, however it is spelt, is linked to the Celtic word for 'victory', it is unclear if this was her real name, or a title bestowed upon her. In Celtic the name was most probably pronounced along the lines of Boadika, the 'Boa' sound like the bow of 'bow and arrow'. Boudica was a queen of the Iceni tribe who were based around modern day Norfolk. She led an uprising against the Romans in AD 60 or 61 and died following her defeat, perhaps by poisoning herself.

Her characteristic image, with long flaming hair, is a modern invention. Cassius Dio is the only author to give us a description (this from a man who was born a hundred years after her death). He describes her in the following way (LXII 2.2):

In stature she was very tall, in appearance most terrifying, in the glance of her eye most fierce, and her voice was harsh; 4 a great mass of the tawniest hair fell to her hips; around her neck was a large golden necklace; and she wore a tunic of divers colours over which a thick mantle was fastened with a brooch. This was her invariable attire. The word he uses for hair colour is ξανθοτάτος - xanthotatos - meaning 'most golden'. With xanthos in Greek referring to anything from blonde through to auburn, it is difficult to tell what hair colour Cassius Dio imagined. But perhaps even in Roman times the idea of the fiery Celtic redhead was already a thing. When Prasutagus, king of the Iceni, died, he left half of his kingdom to the emperor Nero, hoping in this way to secure the other half for his family. However, the imperial procurator, Decianus Catus - perhaps aware that Nero viewed a half-share of an estate as a personal snub (or perhaps because of mistrust of Boudica?) - moved to sequester the lot. When the royal family resisted these moves, Boudica was flogged and her daughters were raped.

according to the writings of Tacitus. To avenge this outrage, Boudicca waited until the provincial governor, Paulinus, was abroad, then gathered the Iceni and other tribes from the area and raised a rebellion. The rebels burned Camulodunum (Colchester), Verulamium (St Albans) and several military posts, before attacking Londinium (present day London). In total, Tacitus estimated that they killed around 70,000 Romans and pro-Roman Britons and slaughtered the Roman Ninth Legion. This was an incredible turn of events. As the Romans fell back in retreat, the British tribes appeared to be on the brink of reclaiming their native land for themselves. As she prepared to attack again, Tacitus described Boudicca climbing a large mound of piled earth to rally her troops, claiming, “You will conquer the Romans – or die trying.”

It was not to last, however. The Roman Empire could not allow this revolt to succeed. Reinforcements quickly arrived and, under Paulinus’ command, met the British rebels in London. It was a savage battle, but the experienced Roman army won the day. Some 80,000 Britons were massacred and, rather than be captured and sold into slavery, Boudicca poisoned herself.

With heavy sarcasm, Tacitus called the outcome a "glorious victory comparable with bygone triumphs." He knew that the Pax Romana – the peace of Rome – was underpinned by brutality and war: "Rome creates a desert," he later wrote, "and calls i