The Riddle of Boudica or Boadicea
Andrew Summers
- Regions:
- London, Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire
- Notice Period:
- Short (maybe less than one month's notice)
- Type:
- Professional
- Fee:
- Paid: £70 plus mileage and time as applicable
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 19th January 2026
- Tagged:
The Roman occupation of Britain lasted over 350 years. In AD 60, seventeen years after the Romans arrived, Queen Boudicca led an uprising which resulted in the destruction of Colchester, London and St Albans. The rebellion was short lived and resulted in a harsh crackdown.
Yet in later years Roman rule was interrupted by several uprisings and incursions by the ‘natives’. In AD 185 part of the occupying Roman Army mutinied and 100 years later the Roman Commander Marcus Aurelius Carausius proclaimed himself Emperor of an independent Britain. Yet, in turn, the insurrections were supressed, the mutiny put down, the usurper overthrown and Roman rule returned to more or less normal.
Yet, despite of all the upheavals in the British Isles during Rome’s long tenure, it is only Boudicca who is especially remembered.
This talk includes a video short embedded in the presentation.
This illustrated talk explores the ‘facts’ of Boudicca’s rebellion so far as it is known and examines the resultant Heritage, Legacy and Mythology grown up around it.
Views: 15 | Enquiries: 0About Andrew Summers
Andrew was born within the sound of Bow Bells on a quiet day. His father Kazik spent two years in a Soviet Labour camp as a ‘guest’ of Joe Stalin. His mother Diana worked for some time at Bletchley Park helping to crack codes, but that was all very secretive. After a spell in North Kent and then Leigh on Sea, for the past 30 years Andrew has lived in Hadleigh (Essex) and been married to Glenis. Andrew has bought and sold books in the UK and abroad and even printed books too. With a change of tack he now an author and publisher. Andrew has written They Did Their Duty, Essex Farm which tells the story of Essex Farm in Belgium and its connections with the Essex Regiment, edited The Numbers Had to Tally, a second world war survival story and written The Riddle of Boudica. He too has compiled ONCE UPON A TIME IN SOUTHEND (and District). With his co-writer John Debenham they have created the Essex Hundred series of books, including Magna Carta in Essex and The Essex Hundred Histories which has been reprinted 15 times. More www.essex100.com, Tel 01702 557828
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