Our blog series covering Whitman Publishing’s 100 Greatest Women on Coins continues today with one of the more fascinating women from British history. Her story, while deeply tragic, is one that showcases the strength that women possess and why the whole series was created to begin with. While Ron Guth’s target is to demonstrate the contributions that women have made in numismatics, their stories and contributions to the history books is what makes them worth reading about.
#50 – Queen Boudica
What is known about Queen Boudica is that her story is not as clearly cut as most. What we DO know about her comes from Roman historians, Tacitus and Lucius Cassius Dio. British history involving her does not exist, therefore challenging her story from the Romans is met with difficulty. In addition, there are countless legends and myths surrounding her, even down to the proper usage of her name.
Boudica was queen of Iceni, a Celtic tribe was the region that is now known as modern Norwich which is on the east side of England. Described as “a tall woman with waist length, tawny hair, a terrifying appearance, a fierce gaze, and a harsh voice,” she is most famous for her failed uprising against the Romans in 60 or 61 AD.
The rebellion, despite its ending, started because of her husband naming his two daughters and the Roman emperor as co-heirs to his kingdom. However, after he died, the Romans did not follow through with his wishes and instead seized the kingdom, raped his daughters, and flogged Boudica. Enraged at their actions, Boudica was able to assemble Britons as they pillaged and destroyed the modern-day cities of Colchester (Camulodunum), London (Londinum), and Saint Albans (Verulamian). According to the Roman historians, Boudica and the Britons killed approximately 80,000 Romans. She would eventually meet defeat against the Roman force led by Gaius Suetonius Paulinus in 60 or 61 AD. Sources claim that she either died of illness or committed suicide.
Celtic coins featuring Boudica issued in the first century BC are hard to come by in addition to the coins’ image of her being so crude that her likeness cannot be confirmed. A 2004-dated coin was also issued in the East Caribbean States with a $2 denomination. It shows Queen Boudica leading her troops into battle on the reverse.
Collecting difficulty is considered moderate by Guth. Although relatively inexpensive, they are hard to find outside auctions.