Boudica has been mythologized as the woman who dared to take on the Romans to avenge her daughters, her tribe, and her enslaved country. As Boudica has become well known as an icon of female leadership and strength, the true story of her revolt against the Roman empire has only become more distant--until now. Combining new research and recent archaeological discoveries, critically-acclaimed historian and journalist Vanessa Collingridge has written a major new biography on this shadowy figure of ancient history.

Boudica is a detailed exploration of not only the historical reality, but also of the "Celtomania" that adopted Boudica as its earliest hero, and the nationalist and feminist causes that claim her as their own. While tracking the origins and impact of the various versions of the Boudica legend, Collingridge unearths a historical woman who is far subtler--but every bit as fascinating--as the myths associated with her name. Both a groundbreaking new study and a surprisingly personal history, Boudica is the story of one of civilization's most heralded female leaders and the legacy she left us.