In 60 AD, the fledgling Roman town of Colchester witnessed ancient Armageddon. Thousands of British warriors descended on the settlement, turning what was then the capital of Roman Britain to ash. At the head of these attackers was one of the most well-known figures in British history - the warrior woman Boudica. Her bloody assault on Colchester marked one of the first gruesome events of her revolt against the Romans.
For a long time, the Roman historian Tacitus was our main source for Boudica’s great burning of Colchester. But no longer. Beneath the ground level of the modern city, archaeologists have uncovered actual physical evidence of the burning. From a visible ash layer in the soil, to a great wealth of artefacts that have revealed more about the sheer brutality of Boudica’s onslaught and the tragic tales of innocent victims caught up in the carnage.
Tristan Hughes visits Colchester to investigate this incredible archaeology and to see whether it supports the surviving Roman account for Boudica’s bloody sacking of this settlement almost 2,000 years ago.
Up Next in Ancient Rome
-
Sex Lives of the Ancient Romans
Joined by historian Honor Cargill-Martin, Tristan Hughes explores the real sex lives of ancient Rome.
From popular series to kinky paintings, there is a recurring image today of Romans as sex-mad degenerates. And although there are sex stories in the dozens from the Roman period, when it comes ...
-
Secrets Of The Roman Baths
In this video, Alice Loxton visits one of the most fascinating Roman sites in Britain, the Roman baths in the glorious city of Bath. But don’t worry, this is not another dreaded Latin lesson.
Alice takes you, the subscribers of the History Hit YouTube channel, through the best bits of the histo...
-
Colchester: Britain's First City
Colchester has a rich and vibrant history, often claimed to be Britain’s oldest city. This talk will take you on a journey through Colchester’s history – from the Ancient world of Boudicca to the modern day, seeing how this town changed and developed through time. Michael will focus in on Colches...
26 Comments