Introduction
In AD 60, corrupt Roman officialdom pushed the dowager queen of the Iceni, in what is now Norfolk, too far. But Britain’s military Governor, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, was far away in Anglesey (dealing, as he supposed, with the last British resistance) when he learnt of it.
These events follow on from The Battle of Ynys Mon.
WHEN Prasutagus, King of the Iceni and a good friend of Rome, died in AD 60, Catus Decianus, Procurator of Britain, confiscated his lands in lieu (he said) of debts, kicking off a fire sale that saw Roman army veterans from Camulodunum help themselves to the treasures of his palace, raping his daughters and flogging his widow, Queen Boudica.*
In a fury of vengeance, Boudica raised a revolt. Standing tall in her chariot, with her mass of waist-length red hair and colourful robes, she fell on Camulodunum, flattened the town, and crushed the Ninth Legion, before moving on to Londinium and Verulamium.
There her rebels slew and mutilated the inhabitants in an orgy of blood-letting dedicated to Andraste, goddess of victory.
Paulinus raced back from Anglesey, and despite being outnumbered, defeated Boudica somewhere along Watling Street.
The embittered queen died in mysterious circumstances; but both Paulinus and Decianus were relieved of their responsibilities, and Rome’s policy in Britain subsequently became more humble.
Camulodunum is now Colchester; other placenames in this story include Londinium (London) and Verulamium (St Albans). Watling Street is a Roman road leading diagonally across England from London to Shropshire.
Précis
Boudica was a queen of the Iceni, who raised a revolt in AD 60 after her late husband’s kingdom was confiscated by the Roman Procurator in Britain, and her daughters were raped. She sacked Colchester, and put London and St Albans brutally to the sword, before Suetonius Paulinus defeated her. Thereafter, Rome showed the people of Britain more respect. (59 / 60 words)
Boudica was a queen of the Iceni, who raised a revolt in AD 60 after her late husband’s kingdom was confiscated by the Roman Procurator in Britain, and her daughters were raped. She sacked Colchester, and put London and St Albans brutally to the sword, before Suetonius Paulinus defeated her. Thereafter, Rome showed the people of Britain more respect.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, despite, not, otherwise, since, unless, whether.
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Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Slough. Slue. Subsequent.
2 Both. Procurator. Raise.
3 Flatten. Flogging. Land.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
