I came across Queen Boudica while watching Expedition Unknown, S6 ep16. This programme is hosted by Joshua Gates, an archeologist, explorer and adventurer, like a 21st century Indiana Jones, minus the , err... arse kicking.He travels around the world, trying to solve ancient mysteries, digging tombs, looking for buried treasure etc. Like I said... Indiana Jones.
In this episode, he was trying to locate the last battleground of Queen Boudica which was also believed to be her burial site. As was the custom then, this would be where her people would have given offerings of silver and gold to honour their leader.
In London, he visited the monument of Boudica which is situated next to the House of Parliament, on the embankment of the Thames. The monument is a bronze statue of Queen Boudica in her chariot, with her two daughters, designed byThomas Thorneycroft in 1902.
Josh Gates mentioned that, he has been to London countless times and have stood on that very spot more than a few times, but he has never noticed the monument until that day. Yes, now that he mentioned it, I have also stood on that very spot more than 30 years ago, and I also did not notice the monument. Apparently, not many people know who the monument is for because not many know about Queen Boudica. So, who is she, and why have I not heard of her before while studying about the British history?
the monument of Queen Boudica
First, lets find out who she is. We go back to the time of the Roman conquest in AD43. Queen Boudica was married to King Prasutagus who ruled the Iceni tribe of East Anglia, which was the wealthiest and most powerful of the Celtic tribes. They had two daughters.
When Rome arrived in Britain, the Iceni made a treaty with the Romans, allowing individual kings or rulers to stay in power, keeping their tribal lands and their way of lives. They, however, would be ruling on behalf of Rome.
When King Prasutagus died in AD 60/61, he left half of his estate to emperor Nero for Rome and the other half for his daughters. This did not go well with the Romans as they expect everything to be handed back to them once the king is dead.
So, the Romans raided and destroyed the place. Boudica was publicly flogged and her daughters were taken out and raped by the Romans. Big mistake Romans!!!!!!
Pissed off and hungry for revenge, Boudica rose and led the Icenic army against the Romans. She torched Roman cities and was described by Roman historians as a merciless foe, responsible for barbaric acts of torture.. Seen as one of the most fearsome warrior and history's fiercest woman, the warrior Queen fought the might of Rome and got her revenge.
Most of the stories about Boudica came from Roman historians because at that time, ancient Britain did not have a written language, hence, the lack of record. So, what we get is Boudica from the Romans point of view. Of course, they saw her as merciless and barbaric. I don't think the Romans can handle women with power... LOL
Even though she was not English, (she was Celt, the Anglo Saxons did not arrive in Britain until much later in history. That, plus living in a land without writing, was probably why I did not come across her when learning about British history.) she is today, considered as a British folk hero and a righteous freedom fighter.
Boudica - mother, wife, killer or Boudica - mother, leader, freedom fighter. Depending on which side of the Roman empire you stood.
I choose both - Boudica - mother, wife, killer, leader, freedom fighter. I'm a sucker for badass warrior queens, and Queen Boudica is definitely one. Lady, you rock!
It might not be very relevant, but, reading about Boudica reminds me of this song.
Istimewanya wanita bernama Wook ‘KETIKA saya dan jurugambar Fauzi Baharuddin tiba di perkarangan rumah Wook Kundur, 106 dan pasangannya Mohd. Nor Musa, 37, hujan turun renyai-renyai.’…
First. Kenapa aku focus pada artikel ni?
Bukan apa. Semua bermula pada 06.12.08, sewaktu 9.3.6.3, notasi, remedy dan aku menghantar cactus ke LCCT sebab dia nak pulang bercuti ke Bintulu.
Masa kami sedang lepak2 having breakfast kat McDonalds, 9.3.6.3. tiba2 bertanya whether aku pernah baca pasal wanita bernama Wook ni.
Aku kata...I tak pernah dengar pun nama dia…
so...9.3.6.3 pun berilah summary pasal Pn Wook ni…
katanya...wanita ni dah berusia seratus lebih, dan husbandnya berusia 30 lebih…
huh…tercabar rasa ego aku mendengarnya…lebih mencabar, ini perkahwinannya yang ke 22…huhuhu…down kejap
Then, kami terus mencari newspaper yang ada kat situ sebab mereka semua beria2 nak tunjuk kat aku article tu…tapi tak jumpa pulak.
Tak pe,...kata 9.3.6.3...kat dlm laptop I ada . Balik nanti kita tengok…
gigih sungguh mereka mencabar ego aku…sampai di rumah, 9.3.6.3 pun terus on kan laptop nya…
aku bertanya…u all ni beria2 nak tunjuk kat I sebab apa?
Sebagai motivasi...kata mereka.
Ok la…aku boleh terima jawapan tu. Memang aku agak kagum dengan Pn Wook ni…walaupun aku tak de la bercita2 nak kawin lagi masa umur 100 tahun kan…still, aku rasa Pn Wook seorang wanita yang hebat…patut menjadi inspirasi kepada semua wanita…seperti kata penulis…
‘Bagi saya dia ikon wanita Melayu sejati yang bijak mengatur hidupnya termasuk menjerat hati lelaki.’
lady, you rock!!! aku???masih menunggu jodoh datang bergolek…huhuhu
secondly, malam aidiladha, my mom in law (dia still my mom in law kan?) buat kenduri kat rumah dia…tapi mak andak tak de pulak kali ni…hehehe…selamat aku. ..
anyway, kali ni aku bersua pula dengan balu kepada salah seorang abang ipar aku…kak Sal namanya…baru sampai dari Muadzam. Dia mendukung seorang bayi…
baby siapa ni?..kata aku…
baby aku la…kata kak Sal…baru 40 hari umur dia…
speechless terus aku…the last time aku jumpa dia di rumahnya di Keratung, 6 atau 7 tahun yang lalu…masa tu, memang dia dah berkahwin semula, tapi takde anak …sekarang aku confused, ni dengan husband yang sama atau husband lain pulak…tapi, aku tak tahu macam mana nak bertanya tanpa membuat dia tersinggung, so…aku senyum je la…when in doubt, smile…
aku bertanya…kak sal sekarang umur berapa?...
48 …katanya…
Oh…aku menganggukkan kepala…tanda setuju atau tanda faham, aku sendiri pun tak tahu.
Lantas kak sal menambah…perempuan sekarang umur 50 pun boleh dapat anak lagi, Mala…kak Sal bahagia sekarang, engkau tak nak bahagia ke?…tak pe, engkau ada banyak masa lagi…
huh? Masa ???..untuk apa tu???...kata aku dalam minda…
malas la kak Sal…dah biasa hidup sendiri…kata aku dalam reality…
tapi sekali lagi aku rasa ego aku yang setinggi gunung everest ni hampir roboh…
hebat jugak bekas kakak ipar aku ni…walaupun tak la sehebat Pn Wook…tapi masih hebat…sekali lagi aku berkata
lady, you rock!!!
aku???...berani ke tangkap kalau jodoh datang bergolek…
semalam aku ke rumah my mom in law...dia buat open house. seperti biasa, aku dan sis in law yang hampir2 sebaya akan ambil contract cuci pinggan...contract masak memasak kami serahkan pada aunty2 yang lebih berusia dan matang...hehehe
anyway, bukan itu yang aku nak cakap pasal sekarang. aku cuma nak highlightkan conversation aku dengan salah seorang makcik...my mom in law punya cousin, kami panggil dia Mak Andak...conversation macam ni memang selalu terjadi...itu sebab aku agak phobia nak berbual dengan generasi tua...lagi pun, aku memang tak pandai berbual dengan golongan tua2...huhuhu
sambil aku mencuci pinggan...
Mak Andak :Mala, engkau ni masih sorang lagi ke...sampai bila engkau nak hidup sorang diri. engkau tunggu apa ...nak tunggu dia bangun semula, dia takkan bangun lagi.
Aku : (sentap kejap)...belum ada jodoh la Mak Andak.
Mak Andak :engkau asyik terperap kat rumah, mana nak jumpa jodoh.
Aku :saya tunggu jodoh datang bergolek...(motif????)
Mak Andak :jodoh takkan datang bergolek. Engkau kena pergi cari...dulu alasan anak2 masih kecil... sekarang anak2 semua dah besar...
Aku :(boink)...err...
Mak Andak : kawin je la Mala. Tak de orang nak marah kalau engkau kawin lagi...
Aku :(have mercy!!!)...ye la Mak Andak, kalau jodoh datang bergolek nanti, sure saya kawin.
conversation terhenti disitu dengan alasan aku kena pergi kutip pinggan kat depan...huhuhu
