Hear Us Roar (Patricia Potter)

I love the History Channel. I particularly loved it the other night when the had the two hour documentary of Boadicea (PBS spelled it Boudica), the British heroine who led the Celtic tribes against the Romans in 60 a.d.

She has always been one of my favorite historical heroines and my first answer when some critics say my heroines are too adventuresome and brave for their times.

Women have always stepped forward in the annals of history. They were the ones that defended castles when their men were at war. They were the ones who nursed the casualties of wars. They had the quiet bravery when their mates, fathers, brothers went to battle.

I have many heroines through history. There are, of course, Joan of Arc and Florence Nightingale. There is the Scottish noblewoman who smuggled Prince Charles from Scotland and there is Mother Teresa in our time.

But Boadicea was the first of the great freedom fighters. While nearly everyone recognizes the names of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, few know the history of Boadicea although for many in succeeding centuries she was the symbol of those fighting against tyranny and injustice.

She took up arms against the Romans after the invading army subjugated and starved her tribe. As queen, she protested the mistreatment and was publicly beaten and her daughters raped by Roman soldiers.

Not a good move by the Romans. Instead of cowing her as intended, she started an insurrection that brought together some 250,000 members of the divisive Celtic tribes, a tremendous feat in itself. She led her ill-equipped army against Roman cities and successfully destroyed a number of them.

As in so many rebellions, a well-trained, superbly equipped army eventually defeated the undisciplined poorly equipped force in one of the bloodiest episodes of early history. No one knows what happened to Boadicea and her warrior daughters. Some say she poisoned herself after the destruction of her army, but no one really knows.

Yet even in defeat, though, her name because a rallying cry for centuries.

Now it has mostly disappeared. Women have never been given the credit they deserve for their roles in history.

But for me, they’ve been the true heroes throughout history. In our own country’s history, they disguised themselves to fight in the American Revolution and again in the Civil War. One of my own female ancestors was a nurse on a Civil War battlefield.

And then, of course, there’s the American west. I’ve just submitted a five book proposal for a western series. It has always been one of my favorite settings because I think the true heroes of the opening of the west were the women who survived unblieveable hardships to bring about civilization.

We are women. We continue to roar!

Tell us about your favorite heroine, either in history or in fiction.