Was boudicca a freedom fighter or a terrorist?

Answer 1

She was both. Queen Boudicca of the Iceni, though revered by many to be a freedom fighter only, was a terrorist as well. Indeed Boudicca amassed a major faction of warrior combatants from her own tribe and from the Trinovantes--an allied tribe--in a revolt to fight against the rule of the Roman Empire and for freedom of her peoples in Britain. However, most of her method gave clear indications of terrorizing. Boudicca did not actively seek out to fight Roman legions in Britain when she began her movement. Instead, she marched to Roman-built cities, and murdered any civilian in reach, and burned down any home present. She annihilated Camulodunum (now Colchester), Londonium (now London) and Verulamium (now St. Albans), with her first attack on Camulodunum being completely by surprise. She figured that wiping out any Roman influence of all kinds would bring freedom to her people, but attacking non-martial municipalities would be considered as terrorism today. Her first actual battle came against a small legion that was effectivly ambushed by Boudicca and her fighters, taking place before her upcoming defeat.

We know that Roman general Seutonius Paulinus with a larger organized legion, utterly destroyed Boudicca's immense-sized fighting faction in what is known as the Battle of Watling Street with Boudicca very likely falling ill and dying shortly afterwards; while most of Britain remained under Roman rule for a few more centuries. Yet again, Boudicca is often revered as a mightly heroine, fighting for freedom, today; and there is a part that clearly gives her that desereved reputation. However, we must not forget that Boudicca's actions of terrorism only led to an unnecessay premature and forced death of tens of thousands of people on both sides. And her revolt accomplished almost nothing, except for some lowered taxes to the Roman emperor in the Roman British province. Thus, we can question the motives of who is often considered to be a freedom fighter here.

In all fairness to Boudicca, we should also know that when her husband, King Prasutagus of the Iceni and a client king of the Iceni within the Roman Empire, died, he left his kingdom to both the Roman Emperor and his (and Boudicca's) daughters. A peaceful resolution could have ensued in which Prasutagus's and Boudicca's daughters could have then ruled as client queens of the Iceni lands in the Roman Empire--a simple continuation. However, instead Roman local officials fully seized the Iceni lands, and flogged Boudicca and assulted her daughters after Prasutagus's death. So, Boudicca's revolt, though included terrorism, was certainly motivated by her pinpointed anger. We today would still not consider the utter destruction of non-martial cities and the brutal murder of civilians as a just answer to such atrocities, but we can understand why Bouidicca turned to such actions--highly unfortunate, but at the very least somewhat understandable.

So, to conclude, Boudicca was both a freedom fighter and a terrorist. Her terrorizing strategies to fight for freedom, once again, is very condemnable. Yet, the big "what if" here is if only the Romans would have allowed the Iceni client rulership in the Iceni lands within the Roman Empire to continue as it had before.

Answer 2

yes she was a hero

Answer 3

hero