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Home , Boudica, Cartimandua, Catuvellauni, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, Iceni, Prasutagus

by Tony Bradman

BACKGROUND was a Celtic queen of the tribe who lived in the region of Britain we now know as in . She is famous for rising up against the Roman occupation of Britain after the death of her husband, . Other Celtic tribes joined Boudica and the Iceni tribe to fight against the Romans. They were initially victorious because Paulinus, the Roman general and governor of Britain, was in the north with the majority of the Roman army fighting the . During the revolt, the Britons successfully ambushed and defeated the Ninth Legion of the Roman army and destroyed the Roman cities of , and . The rebellious Celtic warriors were finally defeated by Paulinus, and Boudica, alongside her daughters, is thought to have taken poison to avoid being captured. (For more information see the historical note written by the author on pages 149-152).

EXPLORING THE BOOK – READING FOR DISCUSSION CHAPTER 1 – THE ROMAN WAY

1. How does the author grab the reader’s attention? 2. How does the author show the feelings of Rhianna? 3. How does the author show the emotions of the characters through their actions? 4. Why does Rhianna want to speak to the king? 5. What would you do in Rhianna’s and Eleri’s situations? 6. What is the ‘Meeting Ground’? What can you see from the Meeting Ground? 7. Visualisation – use the author’s words to create an image of the Iceni settlement. Take note of the author’s descriptive language to help. Annotate drawings with adjectives to help describe the setting. 8. How have the Romans influenced King Prasutagus? 9. Summarise Rhianna’s story to the Queen. You can only use 300 words. 10. Does the beginning of this story remind you of another story you have read? What makes the two beginnings similar? 11. How does the Queen react to Rhianna’s story? What role do you think Rhianna and Eleri will take at the Royal Place? 12. How would you feel about leaving the only home you had ever known?

Bloomsbury.com @BloomsburyEd 13. What are your first impressions of the different characters – Rhianna, Eleri, Queen Boudica and King Prasutagus? 14. Re-tell the first chapter from the perspective of Queen Boudica.

CHAPTER 2 – FIERCE-LOOKING WOMAN

1. Describe the Queen’s House using adjectives and similes. 2. Why do you think the Romans are scared of Queen ? 3. What do we learn about Queen Boudica and the Iceni tribe? 4. Why did the Romans choose Prasutagus as a husband for Boudica? 5. Where in the world is ? Does Gaul exist today? 6. What has changed for Rhianna and her stepmother in the last five days? 7. What surprises Rhianna while at her stepmother’s? 8. Why is the chapter called ‘Fierce-Looking Women’? 9. ‘Magunna stood by the hearth, her eyes burning with more hatred than ever.’ (page 26) Predict how Magunna will react to the actions of Rhianna and Garwen. CHAPTER 3 – TREMOR OF FEAR

1. Pretend you are Rhianna, what would you like to ask Garwen? 2. Why does Rhianna feel a tremor of fear? 3. What message does Boudica send to the Romans? Why do you think she wants to rule alone? 4. ‘It was as if a shadow had been lifted from her and everyone else in the Royal Place.’ (page 39) How was the Queen feeling after declaring she would like to rule alone? Use the above quote to support your answer. 5. How does the author create suspense at the end of the chapter? CHAPTER 4 – RED-CRESTED HELMETS

1. Why does it seem like the ‘Royal Place crackled with tension’ (page 41)? 2. How does Rhianna feel when the Romans arrive? Find evidence from the text to support your answer. 3. What punishment is inflicted on Boudica and her daughters for wanting to rule their own tribe? Predict what Boudica might do next. 4. Do you think the Britons are savages? What evidence can you find? 5. Why was Rhianna’s heart filled with hatred for the Romans? CHAPTER 5 – THE QUEEN’S BIDDING

1. What is the Queen’s Bidding? 2. Why does she want to fight the Romans? 3. Why is Viducos reluctant to rebel against the Romans? 4. Explore the beliefs of the Britons. How are these beliefs similar/different those of the Romans?

Bloomsbury.com @BloomsburyEd 5. CHAPTER 6 – DRUMS OF WAR

1. What is a ? 2. Who is Gaius Paulinus? What is his special mission? How will this affect the Britons? 3. Why does Boudica meet with the leaders of other tribes? 4. What do they plan to do to defeat the Romans? 5. Why do they plan to attack during the summer? 6. How do the Britons prepare for battle? Do you think the Britons are justified in their reasons for rebelling against the Romans? CHAPTER 7 – A GREAT VICTORY

1. What does the author mean by the phrase, ‘The Romans fell before us like wheat before the scythe’ (page 86)? 2. Why is it a ‘Great Victory’ for Boudica and the other tribes? 3. Explore how the author shows Rhianna’s ever-changing emotions throughout the chapter. 4. Explain the meaning of ‘We all walk with fear as a companion now.’ (page 92) CHAPTER 8 – BLOOD AND FIRE

1. Using the author’s description, describe how Camulodunum is different to the home of the Iceni tribe. 2. Why does Viducos fear Paulinus? 3. Why is the chapter called ‘Blood and Fire’? 4. Why does Rhianna feel guilty? 5. Do you think Boudica is cold-hearted? Has your opinion of Boudica changed? 6. Why does Rhianna want to escape? Where do you think she should go? CHAPTER 9 – BURNING AND LOOTING

1. Think of a plan to help Rhianna and Eleri escape from Boudica and the war-host. 2. How does Boudica underestimate the Roman leader Paulinus? 3. Why does Garwen want Rhianna and Eleri to leave? CHAPTER 10 – FIFTY SILENT WARRIORS CHAPTER 11 – NOTHING BUT DEATH

1. ‘At that moment Rhianna understood there was no difference between her and this Roman woman’ (page 122). Discuss. 2. How does the author create tension and suspense? 3. How are the war-host of the Britons and the army of the Romans different? 4. Do you think Boudica was courageous to rise against the Romans? 5. What does the final battle mean for the Iceni, the and the tribes? 6. How does Rhianna escape from the war-host? Why does she go?

Bloomsbury.com @BloomsburyEd 7. How does the world change once more for Rhianna and Eleri? 8. After reading the story, what opinion do you have of Boudica’s rebellion against the Romans?

BEYOND THE BOOK LINKS TO HISTORY

KS2 History (2014 Curriculum): ‘Pupils should be taught about the and its impact on Britain; changes in Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age (this includes Iron Age hill forts: tribal kingdoms, farming, art and culture)’. • What was life like in Britain before the Romans invaded? Research life in the hill forts (houses, villages, clothes, art, culture, farming, technology, beliefs). • What were the differences between daily life in the Celtic and Roman settlements in Britannia? Which settlement would you like to live in? • How were law and justice in the Iceni tribe similar and/or different to that of the Romans? • Explore Roman legacy and the impact it had on the Britons. How did the Roman invaders influence tribal life? • Should Boudica be remembered as a hero or villain? • The author describes Boudica as the ‘Queen of Darkness’. Do you agree or disagree with this description? Support your opinion with evidence from your research. • What factors motivated Boudica to raise a rebellion against the Romans? • Show your findings by writing a speech to be given by Boudica to convince the to fight. • Research the events of the rebellion and create an annotated timeline to show the key events. • What would have been the advantages and disadvantages to the tribes of Britannia if the Celts had succeeded? • What would have been the advantages and disadvantages to the tribes of Britannia if the Romans had succeeded? • How did the rebellion impact on Roman rule in Britannia? • Investigate Celtic resistance to the Romans: Was Boudica’s revolt the only rebellion against the Romans? Why were there other rebellions against the Romans? How were the rebellions similar/different? Pupils could take the opportunity explore the rebellion of (Caradoc) and compare it with the revolt led by Boudica. • How did the Romans eventually defeat the rebellion when they were outnumbered? How strong was the Roman army in Britain during the time of the rebellion? Compare and contrast a Roman soldier with a Celtic warrior. • What archaeological evidence is there of the attack on the cities? • Written historical evidence about Boudica primarily comes from the Roman historians and Dio Cassius. These accounts might be biased. Explore the different viewpoints of the rebellion. Pretend to be a Celtic warrior and/or a Roman soldier and write a description of the final battle.

Bloomsbury.com @BloomsburyEd MATHEMATICS

• Read and write Roman Numerals: I = 1, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4, V = 5, VI = 6, VII = 7, VIII = 8, IX = 9, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100, D = 500, M = 1000 Use Roman Numerals to write numbers, solve numerical problems and to tell the time on an analogue clock.

GEOGRAPHY

• Place Roman cities on a map of Britain by looking for their modern-day equivalent towns and cities. • How much of Britain did the Romans conquer? How do we know? • Study a map of Britain before the Romans invaded to see where the different tribes lived.

ART AND DESIGN

• Explore how to draw portraits thinking about size and proportion. Become the illustrator and draw a picture of Boudica using the descriptions written by the author on page 8, as well as descriptions from Roman historians. Draw an Iceni warrior and a Roman soldier to be used in a non-fiction book. • ‘He always wore tunics without sleeves so he could show off his arms [...] covered in swirling blue tattoos from shoulder to wrist’ (page 24). Explore the art created by the Britons at this time in history and design an intricate pattern of swirling blue lines in a similar style which could be used by a member of the tribe. DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

• ‘She wore a green gown of the finest wool, thick golden bracelets on her wrists, and a great golden torc around her pale neck’ (page 8). Investigate different patterns and styles of jewellery worn by women at the time. Design, make and evaluate your own bracelet or torc in a style inspired by the Celts. • ‘In early spring, when the days grew longer and warmer, the warriors began to train in their ’ (page 66). Design and make a chariot for a member of the Iceni tribe. • Design, make and evaluate a roundhouse suitable for Queen Boudica.

COOKING AND NUTRITION

• What food did the Iceni tribe eat? In groups make a stew and flatbread which could have been eaten by the Iceni tribe.

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

• Compare and contrast the beliefs of the Celts and Romans. How were they similar/ different? • Who were the druids and what did they believe?

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