Modern reconstruction of Boudica’s appearance.

 

Mead and beer

 

What the Iron Age Celts drank for intoxication?

The Iron Age Celts primarily consumed mead and beer as intoxicants. Mead was a common drink, especially among the elite, as it was produced from honey, which was the only sweetener available to prehistoric Europeans. Beer, or ale, was brewed from barley and was consumed by the general population. The Celts also used imported vessels and products from the Mediterranean, indicating a dynamic intercultural process. The consumption of these beverages was not limited to the upper echelons of society; craftsmen and commoners alike had access to wine and beer, often for cooking and drinking parties. 

The University of Texas at Austin+2

Trimatrici ( Troupe de reconstitution Gauloise )

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Trimatrici ( Troupe de reconstitution Gauloise ) | MJC Gerstheim

From BOUDICCA'S REBELLION AD 60-61 The Britons rise up against Rome by Nic Fields

 Republican denarius (Oxford, Ashmolean Museum), struck in c.48 BC by L(ucius) HOSTILIUS SASERNA. It shows a seated charioteer and a standing warrior riding into action on a Celtic chariot. The carriage superstructure has double arched sides, within each arch a Y-configuration. It is possible that the Y was a braided rawhide thong, the four of which suspended a springy riding platform of strapwork. Clearly the arch and Y strap suspension system made the Celtic chariot an effective (almost) all-terrain war machine. (Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK/Bridgeman Art Library)

Boudica Queen of War (2023) trailer

 Don't bother with this film. I watched it on Netflix when I was planning this blog and it was a disappointment. I was impressed by Olga Kurylenko in Centurion but this is a bit rubbish. Surprisingly low budget.

The Viking Queen (1967)

 The Viking Queen - Wikipedia

Loosely based on Boudica. No Vikings in it.

Ancient British Warriors 28mm

 Ancient British Warriors – Warlord Games UK

Ladybird book Julius Caesar and Roman Britain 1959

 The other day I said the Airfix Britons were my first exposure but thinking about it it was probably this book.

Roman Auxiliary Cavalryman AD 14-193

 

See more images from this imágeneshistóricas.blogspot.es: Roman Auxiliary Cavalryman AD 14-193

"Boudicca's Rebellion AD 60-61", Peter Dennis

 

from this book

The Revolt of Boudica according to Tacitus

 The Revolt of Boudica according to Tacitus

The Revolt of Boudica according to Cassius Dio

The Revolt of Boudica according to Cassius Dio

Cassius Dio - Wikipedia

The work is one of only three written Roman sources that document the British revolt of 60–61 AD led by Boudica.^[13] 

BREAKING NEWS. RARE ARCHAEOLOGICAL FIND COULD HELP LOCATE BOUDICCA’S TOMB.

 From Graham Phillips author Facebook

The warrior queen Boudicca is one of British history’s most famous figures. In AD 61, she led a revolt against the Romans and their tyrannical emperor Nero, and very nearly drove them out of Britain. She conquered various cities, including London, and destroyed an entire legion, before being defeated and given a splendid burial by her followers, presumably somewhere nearby. Because the location of her final battle was not recorded, her tomb has long been sought but never found. Suggested locations include Uffington in southern England, Hampstead Heath in London, and Atherstone in the Midlands. Perhaps the most likely location would be in the region of her home, the Iceni kingdom in what is now Norfolk. And here, a remarkable discovery has just been announced.

A team of archaeologists working on a building site a few miles from Thetford, Norfolk, has just announced a remarkable find. An intact British carnyx, a long and elaborate bronze, animal-headed trumpet used to inspire and manoeuvre warriors in battle. As a war horn, the most likely time that this would have been lost, so as to have been preserved in mud, would have been during a battle, and a known battle around that time would be the one in which Boudicca was defeated. This is sure to spark much speculation that Boudicca died much closer to home than originally thought, and was buried near her capital at what is now Caistor St Edmunds. If she were buried with the kind of splendor the Roman historian Cassius Dio records, the tomb could include grave goods such as weapons, jewelry, and symbols of authority, including golden torcs and bracelets. The archaeological find of the century.

(Photograph: The remains of Venta Icenorum, Boudicca’s capital in Roman times.)

Victrix Celtic chariot 28mm

 Celtic Chariot - Victrix Limited

Expeditionary Force 60mm Celts

 Expeditionary Force 60mm Celtic Barbarians - Stad's StuffStad's Stuff

Thesee figures look great.

Rare Iron Age war trumpet and boar standard found

 thanks to Susan for spotting this. It's a coincidence that I have recently posted about boar standards.

Thetford dig unearths Iron Age war trumpet and boar standard - BBC News

Archaeologists have been stunned to discover two of the rarest Iron Age objects in the same excavation.

The team from Pre-Construct Archaeology was working on a building site a few miles from Thetford, Norfolk, when they came across the hoard last year.

At its heart was the most complete battle trumpet, or carnyx, ever found in Europe - and the first-ever boar's head flag standard to be found in Britain.

Senior project officer Gary Trimble told BBC Two's Digging for Britain, carnyces "are extraordinarily rare... a boar standard, that's even rarer".

Italeri 1/32 Gaul warriors

 I had a box of these. Can't find them sadly. Maybe one day they will turn up. Not bad figures. They did Caesar's Legions too. Italeri 1:32 Gaul Warriors - Figurenschnapp.de - Buying Figures Online | Figurenschnapp

Hail Caesar Starter: The Roman invasion of Britain

Hail Caesar Starter Sets

Contains two armies - a squadron of Roman Legionaries with a Scorpion bolt thrower versus a horde of Celtic warriors - plus the full hardback rulebook

 

28mm Celts/Gauls from Gripping Beast.

 Ancient Celts / Gauls | Gripping Beast

Iron Age Brythonic chariot

 

Boar standard

 I have been trying to find out about these. Cultural Significance Of The Wild Boar In Celtic Society

This Boar Standard - Manning Imperial does a lovely repro.

standard | British Museum

Boar Standards and Other Things – Liv Mariah Yarrow

Ancient Britons and Gauls

 Pinterest lots of images here.

1. Celtic chieftain 2. Celtic horn-blower 3. Celtic standard-bearer

Gundestrup Cauldron depicting warriors with long shields and circular bosses.

 Gundestrup cauldron - Wikipedia

A line of warriors bearing spears and shields march to the left, bringing up the rear is a warrior with no shield, bearing a sword, and wearing a boar-crested helmet which resembles helmets from later Germanic cultures. Behind him are three carnyx players. In front of this group a dog leaps up, perhaps holding them back. Behind the dog, at the left side of the scene, a figure over twice the size of the others holds a man upside down, apparently with ease, and apparently is about to immerse him in a barrel or cauldron.

The Iron Age Shield... that's made of bark? The Enderby Shield | Curator's Corner S8 Ep7 Fundraiser

 In 2015, what we knew about Iron Age shields all changed. And it changed in a field in Leicester...

Iron Age Curator Sophia Adams explains the construction of the first shield made of tree bark ever discovered in the Northern Hemisphere - how it was built, how it was used and how it changes what we know about shields of the time.

Introduction to Iron Age Cooking

 Caroline from Pario Gallico talks us through the seasonal food available in Iron Age Britain and some of the cooking methods used, as well as touching on the importance of experimental archaeology and living history.

The Vicus - Romans and Britons

 Here is their  Facebook

About 20 years ago my son and I were in this group. Was fun. I don't have any photos of us but I did draw this recruiting poster.

The Roman attack on Ynys Môn (Anglesey) & the British Druids

 Description from Tacitus.

The Roman attack on the British Druids on Ynys Môn

What did Iron Age women wear? (cir. 300-200BCE, NW Europe / Britain)

 Find many more videos about ancient living, various traditional crafts, rare breed animals and experimental archaeology, presenting many time periods, on www.butserplus.com for the price of a coffee or a monthly donation to support Butser Ancient Farm's work.

Three carnyx players

 Three carnyx players depicted on plate E of the Gundestrup cauldron

Caesar the Conqueror (1962)

 Caesar the Conqueror - Wikipedia

This film isn't that good but it is included for interest. Says it is based on Gallic Wars.

The sound of the carnyx

 Musician John Kenny brings the music of the past alive playing a replica of the Deskford carnyx, an Iron Age war trumpet that dates from 80-200AD.

The real and replica carnyces were part of the Celts exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland in 2016. Find out more at https://www.nms.ac.uk/past-exhibition...

Rome's Enemies (2) Gallic & British Celts Peter Wilcox (Author) , Angus McBride (Illustrator)

 First published in 1985. Illustrations are great - the image from the top of this blog is from it.

Rome's Enemies (2): Gallic & British Celts: Men-at-Arms Peter Wilcox Osprey Publishing - Osprey

Airfix Set 01734 Ancient Britons (1969)

 This is where it started for me. See the figures here

Roman Britain A New History

 My son got me this book for Christmas. It's very good. Well illustrated and a good starting point.

BUILDING AN IRON AGE BRITISH CHARIOT By Mike Loades (pdf)

 

Microsoft Word - British Chariot.doc

Celts: Recreating an Iron Age chariot

 In 2001, archaeological excavations at Newbridge, near Edinburgh Airport, uncovered a surprising find – an Iron Age chariot burial, the first one known from Scotland. A carefully made replica of the chariot was part of the Celts exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland in 2016.

War Chariots of Britannia

 I watched this to the end - pretty interesting.

Centurion (2010) trailer

 My son got me a book on Roman Britain for Christmas and so I fancied watching this again and Susan had not seen it. I like it. Olga Kurylenko steals the show as a mute Pict. Centurion (film) - Wikipedia

Filming began towards the end of February 2009.^[6] Filming locations included the Scottish locations Badenoch, Strathspey,^[4] and Glenfeshie Estate in the Cairngorms. Filming also took place at Ealing Studios in London and in Surrey locations,^[7] such as Alice Holt Forest and Hurtwood Forest in the Surrey Hills.^[8] Historical re-enactment groups were enlisted to play Britions and Roman soldiers in the practical filming at Badenoch and Strathspey.^[4] Filming was completed in March, after seven weeks.^[9][10] Production design was by Simon Bowles, with art direction by Jason Knox-Johnston. The sets were built by DRS Construction.^[11]

Hillforts

 A short video discussing the ancient monuments within the British landscape known as Hillforts. A basic overview of these Iron Age enclosures is provided for a quick understanding of the archaeological subject, with a bibliography at the end for further information.

Iron Age Chariot

 

Profile view of a British Celtic chariot in action. It was with these weapons that the Celts of Britain faced off against the Roman legions of Caesar in 55 BC. Note the y shaped suspension straps at the side of the chariot.

Julius Caesar: This is their manner of fighting from chariots. At first the charioteers ride in all directions, usually throwing the ranks into confusion by the very terror caused by the horses, as well as the noise of the wheels; then as soon as they have come between the squads of horsemen, they leap from the chariots and fight on foot. The drivers of the chariots then withdraw a little from the battle and place the chariots together, so that if the warriors are hard pressed by the number of the enemy, they have a safe retreat to their own. Their horsemen possess such activity and their foot soldiers such steadfastness in battle and they accomplish so much by daily training that on steep and even precipitous ground they are accustomed to check their excited horses, to control and turn them about quickly, to run out on the pole, to stand on the yoke, and then swiftly to return to the chariot.

Iron Age chariot by Samara Parc Archeolgique

 (5) Facebook

Their mode of fighting with their chariots is this: firstly, they drive about in all directions and throw their weapons and generally break the ranks of the enemy with the very dread of their horses and the noise of their wheels; and when they have worked themselves in between the troops of horse, leap from their chariots and engage on foot. The charioteers in the meantime withdraw some little distance from the battle, and so place themselves with the chariots that, if their masters are overpowered by the number of the enemy, they may have a ready retreat to their own troops. Thus they display in battle the speed of horse, [together with] the firmness of infantry; and by daily practice and exercise attain to such expertness that they are accustomed, even on a declining and steep place, to check their horses at full speed, and manage and turn them in an instant and run along the pole, and stand on the yoke, and thence betake themselves with the greatest celerity to their chariots again.^[41]

Warrior Women Boudica

 My son and myself were in this. Great fun.

Brigantia, the Iron-Age Celtic Reenactment Society

 

Brigantia Celtic Reenactment | Facebook in the files section are pdfs of their kit guide.

Brigantia, the Iron-Age Celtic Reenactment Society, offers a unique experience for those interested in the re-enactment of the late Iron Age Celts of Southern Britain. The society focuses on combat re-enactment and living history displays, capturing the essence of the Celtic way of life during the Iron Age. Brigantia aims to provide a comprehensive re-enactment of the Brigantes, a tribe known for their resistance against Roman conquest. The society's activities include historical role-play, storytelling, and participation in traditional Celtic customs and architecture. Brigantia is not just a historical reenactment; it is a living community that invites interaction and participation in the Celtic heritage