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Imperial Governor!
#31
Ave Jasper,

Thank you so very much for posting the image of Boudicca and her daughters for me.

What a wonderful sculpture it is too, such intricate detail.

Does anyone know who the sculptor was or how big the sculpture is?

It would be quite something to be able to buy a miniature of this sculpture.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#32
The sculpture is late nineteenth-century, executed by J Havard Thomas. It is part of a series of stratues of famous more-or-less-Welsh people commissioned with various sculptors for the Cardiff city hall. IIRC (It has been a while since I saw it) it is over lifesize, but not monumental.
Der Kessel ist voll Bärks!

Volker Bach
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#33
Quote:The sculpture is late nineteenth-century, executed by J Havard Thomas. It is part of a series of stratues of famous more-or-less-Welsh people commissioned with various sculptors for the Cardiff city hall. IIRC (It has been a while since I saw it) it is over lifesize, but not monumental.

Ave Volker,

Thank you for the information, it was most helpful.

I'm constantly amazed by the variety of your knowledge.

I instigated a search on the internet using j+havard+thomas and found this.

http://pmsa.cch.kcl.ac.uk/AH/CARDIFF001.htm

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#34
Ave!

In an effort to enhance this topic with divers objects, quotes, reviews, links and sources consistent with the main theme "Imperial Governor", I have searched through my books and the internet, here are some of my latest discoveries.

Yet another review from Amazon.com.

"Gripping tale of the Legions in Britain, February 24, 2003
Reviewer: Iain S. Palin from Londonderry, United Kingdom
I am very pleased to see this book back in print. A gripping tale of Boudicca's revolt against the Romans, told from the Roman point of view - or at least from that of the general who defeated her but seems to have had almost as much trouble from Roman politics as from British tribesmen. The amount of detail is impressive - it may be a little forbidding for some - but it ensures the time and place come alive. General Paulinus may not be likeable but he is, in his own way, admirable. I do not know to what extent he matches the true historical figure but he is a real person to the reader
."

And now for something completely different.

Boadicea.
By Cowper, William .

When the British warrior queen,
Bleeding from the Roman rods,
Sought, with an indignant mien,
Counsel of her country's gods,

Sage beneath a spreading oak
Sat the Druid, hoary chief;
Every burning word he spoke
Full of rage and full of grief:

"Princess! if our aged eyes
Weep upon thy matchless wrongs,
'Tis because resentment ties
All the terrors of our tongues.

Rome shall perish - write that word
In the blood that she has spilt -
Perish, hopeless and abhorred,
Deep in ruin as in guilt.

Rome, for empire far renowned,
Tramples on a thousand states;
Soon her pride shall kiss the ground, -
Hark! the Gaul is at her gates.

Other Romans shall arise,
Heedless of a soldier's name;
Sounds, not arms, shall win the prize,
Harmony the path to fame.

Then the progeny that springs
From the forests of our land,
Armed with thunder, clad with wings,
Shall a wider world command.

Regions Caesar never knew
Thy posterity shall sway,
Where his eagles never flew,
None invincible as they."

Such the bard's prophetic words,
Pregnant with celestial fire,
Bending as he swept the chords
Of his sweet but awful lyre.

She, with all a monarch's pride,
Felt them in her bosom glow;
Rushed to battle, fought, and died;
Dying, hurled them at the foe:

"Ruffians, pitiless as proud,
Heaven awards the vengeance due;
Empire is on us bestowed,
Shame and ruin wait for you!"


Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#35
Ave!

One of our newest members, Alan Fisk, has very kindly sent me his review of "Imperial Governor", I've reproduced the article in it's entirety.

"IMPERIAL GOVERNOR
George Shipway, Cassell Military, 2002 (previously published 1968), £6.99 UK/$9.95 USA/$15.95 Canada, pb, 398pp, ISBN 0-304-36324-3

The narrator is the Roman general and Governor of Britain, Suetonius Paulinus. In 59 A.D. the Emperor Nero posts him to Britain with a simple mandate: make the new province profitable for Rome.

To do this the frontier must be pushed westwards and northwards, to capture the prime mineral-producing areas of Britain. Suetonius Paulinus makes plans for an audacious campaign to secure the coveted territories, but he is aware of the restiveness of the tribes of East Anglia and Essex, the Iceni and the Trinovantes, who have suffered harsh exactions from Roman administrators and moneylenders. Suetonius Paulinus knows that they are soon to suffer more, and fears an insurrection in the east while the weight of his army is in the west.

The western campaign is successful, carrying the Roman armies as far as Anglesey, where they destroy not only the military power of the local tribe, the Ordovices, but also wreak revenge upon the Druids. Shipway's terrifying Druids are not the gentle stargazers of modern politically-correct orthodoxy.

As we know, Queen Boudicca of the Iceni does launch rebellion from East Anglia, and the Romans are stretched to their limits before they defeat it.

In the aftermath, Suetonius Paulinus launches a policy of harsh reprisals, but he is eventually recalled from his post for a reason that astonishes him.

Shipway is not afraid to represent Suetonius Paulinus as a harsh, ruthless, and unforgiving man, who tends to see weakness or cowardice as the motives for anyone who disagrees with him. Shipway also makes a serious attempt to create a narrator whose attitudes are those of his own time and culture, even where we would find them shocking or reprehensible.

This is a very masculine book. Suetonius Paulinus meets Boudicca only once, in a scene that perhaps should have been played up more. The only other female character is Queen Cartimandua of the northern tribe of the Brigantes, with whom Suetonius Paulinus has a passionate affair that will haunt him all his life.

The historical and military detail is minute and, so far as this reviewer can judge, accurate. The tale is grim in tone, but Shipway's Suetonius Paulinus is not without sensitivity. If you like military historical novels that are hairy-chested but thoughtful, this will be one for you.

Alan Fisk
"

Please also see Viventius' posts of 24 March, within this topic, for an article written by Alan on George Shipway.

Alan was attracted to the RomanArmyTalk Forum because of this topic.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#36
Ave!

I found a superb picture here

http://www.markchurms.com/roman-army-mi ... rints.html

and I have included the image for your enjoyment as it is relevent to this topic.

Chris Collingwood - Ltd Edition Paper Print #220/1150: AD.61 *Roman Soldiers

AD 61 by Chris Collingwood: Cavalry and Legionaries (plus Auxiliary Hamian Archer) of the XIVth Legion.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#37
In general, please be careful with taking pictures from websites, especially when that website is trying to make money with them. In this case we could argue it's actually free advertising, but be careful anyways!

(and yeah, it IS a nice picture. Jenny has it full size, IIRC)
Greets!

Jasper Oorthuys
Webmaster & Editor, Ancient Warfare magazine
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#38
Quote:In general, please be careful with taking pictures from websites, especially when that website is trying to make money with them. In this case we could argue it's actually free advertising, but be careful anyways!
(and yeah, it IS a nice picture. Jenny has it full size, IIRC)

Ave Jasper,

Noted and thank you. I envy Jenny!

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#39
Ave!

I googled this little bit of history this morning.

"From: Alan Fisk <alanfisk@...>
Date: Tue Sep 3, 2002 1:44 pm
Subject: George Shipway

I've just discovered that George Shipway's excellent novel "Imperial Governor" is to be reissued next month. See:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/ ... 04363243/2 \\
02-9064700-0599852

I'd really like to write a profile of him, but I'm having great difficulty getting any research leads. I know that he was a cavalry office in the Indian Army, and then a schoolmaster, and that he was encouraged to write by his friend John Masters. If he is still alive he will be 92 by now.

Does anyone know where I can find more about him? I hope that more of his books will be revived.

Alan
"

After a couple of long 'phone converstions with Lorna Shipway, George's widow, Alan went on to write the most complete biography of George Shipway to date. He had previously written a review of "Imperial Governor", you can see it above.

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#40
After reading all these reviews i think i'll give this book as a gift to a girlfirend of mine...
gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
Rules for Posting

I would rather have fire storms of atmospheres than this cruel descent from a thousand years of dreams.
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#41
Quote:After reading all these reviews i think i'll give this book as a gift to a girlfirend of mine...

Ave pelgr003,

Welcome to the thread.

I'll be interested to see what she makes of it.

Should she enjoy reading "Imperial Governor" perhaps you could persuade her to write a review and post it within this topic?

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
Reply
#42
She loved the books of Manda Scott (Boudica: dreaming the eagle + dreaming the bull+ dreaming the hound) so i think that she propably loves this one as well.

personally i'm still reading [amazon]Orlando Furioso by Ludovico Ariosto[/amazon] (has nothing to do with rome but a magnificent book!)
gr,
Jeroen Pelgrom
Rules for Posting

I would rather have fire storms of atmospheres than this cruel descent from a thousand years of dreams.
Reply
#43
Quote:She loved the books of Manda Scott (Boudica: dreaming the eagle + dreaming the bull+ dreaming the hound) so i think that she propably loves this one as well.

Ave pelgr003,

I have yet to read Manda Scott's Boudicca books, I've seen them on the shelves but have not tried them. Are they good?

Are you going to read "Imperial Governor" when your girlfriend has finished it?

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
Reply
#44
Ave!

I found this article yesterday and as it's pertinent to the topic have included it.

http://www.egeltje.org/archives/boudicca.php

"March 27, 2005
Boudicca

Boudicca (also called Boadicea) was most likely to have been born into the Royal house of a powerful Celtic Iron age tribe around 30 AD. Through marriage she became queen of the Iceni, an indigenous Celtic tribe that inhabited Great Britain at the time of the Roman invasion in 43 A.D.

According to the Greek historian Dio Cassius (who wrote one of only two accounts of these battles), "She was huge of frame, terrifying of aspect, and with a harsh voice. A great mass of bright red hair fell to her knees: she wore a twisted torc, and a tunic of many colours, over which was a thick mantle, fastened by a brooch. Now she grasped a spear, to strike fear into all who watched her."

Their territory covered a large part of East Anglia near what is today the modern town of Colchester, and the Iceni watched with concern as the emperor Claudius waged a campaign that threatened their independence. In an attempt to avoid any bloody conflict, Boudicca's husband, King Prasutagus, bargained with Roman officials and agreed to submit to terms that would insure that his tribe and their culture remain untouched. The Romans were happy enough with the arrangement so long as they could collect taxes from the Iceni, but that didn't change the fact that they had always held a dismal view of the Celts, viewing them as barbarians who treated their women as equals.

Life for Celtic women was one of comparative prestige and power. Women were allowed to own land, choose their own mates, and even divorce if they made the wrong choice. So when Prasutagus died he left his kingdom to Boudicca and their two daughters after bequeathing a full half of it to the new Roman Emperor, Nero. By including Nero in his will Prasutagus thought he was buying the future tranquility of his kingdom. But under Roman law royal inheritance could not be passed to daughters and co-ownership of a kingdom with a woman was downright ridiculous. Nero sent his men to take care of the situation, which meant the public flogging of Boudicca and the rape of her daughters.

While the Roman governor, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, was leading a campaign against the druids on the island of Anglesey in north Wales, the Iceni rebelled, along with their neighbours the Trinovantes, under Boudicca's leadership. Their first target was Camulodunum (Colchester), the former Trinovantian capital, which had been settled with Roman veterans and where a temple to the former emperor Claudius had been erected at local expense. The city was poorly defended and the rebels destroyed it, beseiging the last defenders in the temple for two days before it fell.

Boudicca's retaliation was merciless: she took no prisoners. Throats were cut, people hanged or crucified, and entire villages were burned to the ground. Her tactics included a particularly cruel assault upon Roman women: "their breasts were cut off and stuffed in their mouths, so that they seemed to be eating them, then their bodies were skewered lengthwise on sharp stakes."

When news of the rebellion reached him, Suetonius hurried to Londinium (London), an important mercantile settlement, but concluded he did not have the numbers to defend it. "Let us show them that they are hares and foxes trying to rule over dogs and wolves!" cried Boudicca, addressing her troops as they stormed the town. Londinium was abandoned to the rebels, who burnt it down (archaeology shows extensive destruction by fire at this time), slaughtering anyone who had not evacuated with Suetonius. Verulamium (St Albans) was next to be destroyed.

Suetonius regrouped his troops and took a stand at an unidentified location, probably in the West Midlands somewhere along Watling Street, in a defile with a wood behind him. They were greatly outnumbered by the British rebels (who were 230,000 strong by now according to Dio Cassius) but superior Roman tactics and training won the day at the Battle of Watling Street. The Britons were prevented from fleeing by their own families, who they had stationed in a ring of wagons at the edge of the battlefield, and were slaughtered. (The German king Ariovistus is reported to have made the same mistake in Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars.) Tacitus reports that "According to one report almost eighty thousand Britons fell" compared with only four hundred Romans. Boudicca, according to Tacitus, poisoned herself; Dio Cassius says she fell sick and died, and was given a lavish burial.

Before the inevitable fall of her army, Boudicca outlined her cause (in this account by the Roman historian, Tacitus):
From the pride and arrogance of the Romans nothing is sacred; all are subject to violation; the old endure the scourge, and the virgins are deflowered. But the vindictive gods are now at hand. A Roman legion dared to face the warlike Britons: with their lives they paid for their rashness; those who survived the carnage of that day, lie poorly hid behind their entrenchments, meditating nothing but how to save themselves by an ignominious flight. From the din of preparation, and the shouts of the British army, the Romans, even now, shrink back with terror. What will be their case when the assault begins? Look round, and view your numbers. Behold the proud display of warlike spirits, and consider the motives for which we draw the avenging sword. On this spot we must either conquer, or die with glory. There is no alternative. Though a woman, my resolution is fixed: the men, if they please, may survive with infamy, and live in bondage.

The site of Boudicca's defeat is unknown. According to London legend it was at Kings Cross in London (a nearby street is named Battle Bridge Road), and that Boudicca herself is buried under one of the platforms at Kings Cross Station (different sources list platforms eight, nine or ten as her supposed resting place) but this is unlikely. Manduessedum near the modern day town of Atherstone in Warwickshire has been suggested as the most likely place of burial.

A large bronze statue depicting Boudicca and her daughers driving a (Persian-style) chariot was commissioned by Prince Albert in 1850 and still stands next to Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament.
"

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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#45
Ave!

An earlier thread relating to this topic can be found here:-

http://www.romanarmy.com/rat/viewtopic. ... y+weakness

I wonder if any of these members would like to update their comments?

Vale

M. Spedius Corbulo
[Image: spedius-mcmxliii.gif]
~~~~~~Jim Poulton~~~~~~
North London Wargames Group
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