Irrational Boudicca

[Conal]

Conal,

First off I would question the usefulness of the term "Celt" when applying it to Boudicca, and for that matter any Late Pre-Roman Iron Age inhabitants of southern UK. (see Professor John Collis's recent work on this topic).

As a racial desription I agree and I confess Celt is lazy shorthand for a broad cultural simalarity, but in the context of this forum I think we all know who we are speaking of, so hopefully I will be forgiven.

I will certainly see the professors book, due by 21st so Amazon promise.

Why specifically Southern Uk ? Take the Canti, of which Ceasar says;

"Ex his omnibus longe sunt humanissimi qui Cantium incolunt, quae regio est maritima omnis, neque multum a Gallica differunt consuetudine."

"Of all these (British tribes), by far the most civilised are they who dwell in Kent, which is entirely a maritime region, and who differ but little from the Gauls in their customs".

Possibly propoganda to show how wild the rest of the Pratani were or perhaps showing that he was conquering more than one people ? he certainly differentiated the Belgic peoples from the Gauls of Southern ( France ) Europe. There is thought that these were more German than Gaulish and such peoples may have had conections with what is now Yorkshie(the Parisii).

I presume that Prof Collis deals with this in his book but culturally they are not that far part and are bound to be a mixture original and newcomers. The name Trinovates, which the wicked queen led with the Icini, may mean newcomers so might be part of a Belgic influx.

I may call them Celtish-Pretani for the moment, shortened to Celt 8)