What If Boudicca beat Gaius Suetonius Paulinus?

What if the Iceni warrior queen had not lost her final battle? If Boudicca, the Iceni warrior queen, had defeated the Roman Governor of Britain, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, at the final battle along Watling Street; what would she have done next? 

To the north was the Brigante Kingdom ruled by Queen Cartimandua. She enjoyed friendship with Rome and was known as collaborator queen. This would not have gone well with the Iceni warrior queen and her Trinovante allies. Also in the south west of the Isle, at today's Exeter, was the II Augusta Legion. This Roman Legion had been held back from aiding Gaius Suetonius Paulinus. Maybe they were getting ready to evacuate - expecting the Roman governor of Britain to be defeated.

Which force would Warrior Queen Boudicca of Iceni have faced first after defeating Gaius Suetonius Paulinus in our alternative reality? Perhaps the last Roman stronghold at Exeter? For the Roman allied Brigante Queen Cartimandua in the north would not be going anywhere else and could be put on ice for later attention. That is if; the II Augusta Legion stayed put and tried to defend their stronghold at Exeter. These political consequences must have been real and acted upon - especially by Cartimandua. Surely she did not remain quite for she too was a sovereign of great prowess. Perhaps more so then Boudicca for she would have been Queen of the Brigante for about sixteen to seventeen years by the time of 61 AD.

What was going through Brigante Queen Cartimandua's mind? She would surely dread the prospect of victorious Boudicca and her Iceni horde, yet there is no mention of her helping Gaius Suetonius Paulinus and his Romans. Her exiled and divorced husband Venutius might have tried to side with Boudicca, yet if he did; there is no mention of such. Venutius had good reason to hate Rome and must have much to gain by joining Boudicca's uprising. He was always looking for ways to usurp Cartimandua and this opportunity would surely not be missed. There is no historical record of this, yet something must have happened among the feuding Brigantes while the Iceni and Trinovante tribes went on their killing spree of Roman occupied Britain.

The Brigante southernmost boarders would have been about where Manchester is today - maybe a little further south. If the last battle against Suetonius was around the Midland area; then surely Boudicca and Cartimandua might have been closer then expected in the final days of Boudicca's great war against Rome. Perhaps Cartimandua of Brigantes left her great hill fort and patrolled the southern boarders. Maybe she needed to keep her own Brigante subjects in check for it is plausible that they might have wanted to join Boudicca's rebellion. It was, after all, an intoxicating time of British victory over the hated Roman occupiers. How did Cartimandua's Brigante subjects become reluctant to help Rome if she was a good and loyal client queen to the Roman Empire? Did she contain her own people from rebelling and joining the Iceni and Trinovante by imposing her presence along the southern boarders? Would this leave her northern boarder with Caladonia's Picts unprotected (presuming Venutius had sanctuary here) All these problems must have weighed heavy and how was Venutius kept at bay during this time - if he was. Perhaps the rebellion happened so fast, that there was little time for Venutius to act - if he was in exile up north in Caladonia with the Picts. 

I would love to be able to go back in time and see Cartimandua of the Brigantes and witness how she dealt with the situation. What did she think of Boudicca? What did Boudicca think of Cartimandua? How did Cartimandua keep her Brigante out of this turbulent trouble? So many questions and no historical records to show. Cartimandua of Brigantes still remained in favour with Rome after Boudicca was put down, so she must have aided the Roman Empire in some way. Eight years later during the Year of Four Emperors; Rome held true to Queen Cartimandua and aided her escape from the Brigante lands when Venutius, her divorced husband, did overthrow her rule. They sent cohorts to rescue her and bring her south.

Queen Boudicca vs Queen Cartimandua (Ancient British Queens of Roman Times)

Queen Cartimandua of Brigante

Why is Queen Boudicca given this glorious celebrity due to her rebellion against the Roman Empire that lasted little more than a few months? She was disastrous for Britain and probably caused the deaths of thousands due to her killing spree and Roman retribution afterwards.

QueenCartimandua of the Brigante ruled from around 43 AD to 69 AD and was usurped by her divorced husband Venutius during the ‘Year of Four Emperors’ when Rome was in civil turmoil over which person would become emperor. The fact that this little-known Ancient British queen ruled for more than 25 years against Boudicca’s single year - if that; always baffles me. Surely Cartimandua was shrewd and successful during her time of rule for she was able to play off the wolf against the weasel for many years while she sat in the middle and kept Rome at bay for a quarter of a century.

Add captionQueen Boudicca of Iceni

Both ancient British queens had husbands; Boudicca’s collaborated with Rome, but when he died; the Iceni queen entered into conflict with the empire. Cartimandua, on the other hand, had a husband who wanted to rebel against Rome and she betrayed him and exiled the man in favour of Rome.

Boudicca echoes in eternity because of Roman historians who wrote of her murderous rampage, yet Cartimandua barely merits mention because she was the friend of Rome and played the empire off against her exiled husband Venutius who never gave up trying to claim the Brigante for himself. Cartimandua is often written off as a traitor, yet it could be argued that she protected her people from slavery and held Rome at arm’s length like this.

QueenCartimandua of Brigantes must have been shrewd to be able to rule and keep Rome at bay for 25+ years, but none of this seems to be acknowledged because Roman historians only wrote of valiant foes and not friends. For Romans; Cartimandua was not interesting enough, which is a great shame because this durable ruler must have had some tales to tell over a twenty-five year period of troubled rule. What was she thinking when Boudicca ruled the Iceni and it looked as though she would beat the Roman Empire and drive them from Britain?

Cartimandua’s exiled husband probably had sanctuary in Caledonia among the Picts to the north. The Brigante queen must have been in a desperate situation knowing if Boudicca defeated Suetonius and his last Roman soldiers to the south; she (Cartimandua) would have enemies on two fronts and none from Rome to help her. She must have prevailed through many desperate times. Was she an anti-hero?  Was the Brigante Queen Cartimandua evil or good? What perspective do we put her in?

There must have been many in the Brigante who had their liberty kept safe during her fraternisation with Rome, while many of Boudicca’s Iceni would have lost theirs because of the violent rebellion they were encouraged upon.

I’m not trying to condemn the Iceni for rebelling, because they may have had no choice and I’m not denying Queen Boudicca her monument for trying, but there was a cost that is overshadowed by the myth of Boudicca. Perhaps Cartimandua paid the cost of protecting her people by being derided as a traitor?

When Cartimandua was driven into exile by her returning divorced husband; the Romans persuaded her to go into peaceful exile in mainland Europe. Later, Venutius lost his great Brigante hill forts as the Romans spent the next forty years viciously putting the Brigantes down. Venutius as the King of the Brigante led his people upon the same path of doom as the Iceni. Eventually, they paid the same price, but not under Cartimandua who seemed to be able to keep Rome at arm’s length for so long.

Venutius was overrun by Rome in 71 AD. No one knows what happened to him, yet the Brigante people were in line for Roman retribution to come. They must have wished Cartimandua never left.

Spain Book Place in 2012 Euro Semi-Finals

Xabi Alonso marked his 100th international appearance for Spain by scoring the two goals in his nation's victory over France in the Euro 2012 quarter finals. It was a fair result, but neutral observers and, perhaps, France might have expected better opposition. 

During the first half, France looked out of sorts, with the exception of Frank Ribery who I thought played with passion. Spain got a goal and took a comfortable lead. France were lucky to go off at half time only 1-0 down.

The Spanish were passing the ball about and looked good, though they were not put to the test. In the second half France looked a little better and started to put some moves together. Again Frank Ribery of France looked good, but the rest of the team still seemed lacking as though there was no belief. Spain got a spot kick in injury time and Xabi Alonso converted the penalty to make it 2-0.

I think France has played much better on other occasions and we are yet to see a team put the Spanish defence to the test. They face Portugal next and I think this will be a dynamic encounter.

He Who Dares Danny - Wellbeck Amazing Goal.

http://www.youtube.com/embed/zG0mKEsXYGs

It is amazing how a game can change from being demoralising to one of pure joy. This hard fought 'rollacoaster of a ride' game between Sweden and England in the Euro 2012 finals had it all. England took the lead and then Sweden, our chief boggie team, came back and led 2-1. Theo Walcott came on for England and he levelled the scores to 2-2. Then Sweden and England went at each other, each side searching for that winning goal. England prevailed with this wonder goal form Danny Welbeck. The striker must be walking on air with super sub Theo Walcott. I had about 100 heart attacks watching this game.

Am I the Only Pro-Euro Brit?

Is it just me, or am I the only pro Euro Brit? Our best British elected Euro politicians are Euro sceptic, articulate and very clever people. But I can't agree with their solutions to the EU problem; fundementaly pulling the UK out of the EU. What good is that?  All the main critical points raised concerning unelected leaders and economists running the show are correct. I just wish some Brits could sugest ways forward for the UK within the EU. I would like us to get out of the mess as Europeans.

 

Peregrine Falcon dives at 180 mph - Ultimate Killer

A peregrine falcon dives, with free fall parachute camera crew, for a meat target. The bird of prey reaches a speed of 180mph with ease. This is a clip from a BBC wildlife documentary.

CATS, CATS, CATS - Moggy Kitten - Our Little Lilly Cat

Today 7th April, we acquired this little Moggy Kitten called Lilly. She was born 5th February and is two months. She was meowing all the way from Canvey Island to Leigh-on-Sea, because she was a little confused. However, once indoors, she seemed to settle down and become very nosey concerning her surroundings. As I type these words, Lilly as fallen asleep on my lap. I think she has taken a shine to me.

We are going to allow her to have a litter when she gets older, but until then; no acne faced Toms are getting anywhere near her. She has become more settled and playful as time goes by. At first she was crouching nervously as she explored, but a little later, Lilly became bolder and started moving around with more confidence. 

She enjoys her toy mouse filled with catnip - a garden herb that cats are attracted to.

Next Day 8th April.

Lilly seems very at home now and is jumping and running about - climbing all over Carole and me while we watch tv. I'm wondering if she is enjoying the attention more, because there were about seven or eight kittens in the home we got her from. She uses the litter tray and is looking out through the conservatory windows into the garden. Obviously she is too young to go out just yet, but soon she'll be able to and then Lilly will be able to explore a whole new world.

Moyra Melons' Commotion Causing Favorite Ear Rings

Once again, Moyra Melons' happily over excited husband came home from work, to be asked for the benefit of his opinion, concerning her new ear rings.

"What do you think of these?" she asked as he walked into the lounge.

For a brief moment, he was taken aback; as one might well imagine. His reply was a little confused at first.

"Think of what?" He babbled as his eyes almost bulged out of his head.

"Do you like what you see? I have to make sure I get it right and create an impression when we go to your works function," Moyra added excitedly. She was rather fond of these particular ear rings.

"Well I certainly think you'll cause a commotion dear," came his startled answer.

Moyra frowned and looked confused. "A commotion? Oh dear, I just wanted to turn a few heads with these."

"Oh, I can guarantee you'll turn a few heads Moyra."

Moyra Melons calmed down a little as she continued. "Well that is fine, but it still does not explain why I would cause a commotion."

"Oh well," replied her husband. "Perhaps I should demonstrate why you would cause a commotion."

"Please do," replied Moyra as her smiling and appreciative husband closed the lounge door.

Afterwards, Moyra wanted to show him the dress she intended to ware because she had an inkling that he might have been confused on certain matters concerning what she would be showing at the works function besides her ear rings.   



Druid - Medwyn Goodall

This is a very haunting and compelling slice of music from Medwyn Goodall. It makes me drift and imagine Celtic Britain in pre-Roman times. 

Sampdoria football club's English fans in Genoa in Italy 1991

In this picture, I and four mates (all of us from England) plus our Italian friend Claudio of the Sampdoria Ultras (Football stewards.)From left to right is: Paul Stamp, Me (Colin Powell), Dave Fenton, Claudio (with scarf around waist) Ronnie Fenton and Jim Morey.

We all caught a train one Saturday morning from Victoria station in London to Dover. From here we caught a ferry over to France and another train to Paris. We changed at Paris and caught a train to Genoa in northern Italy.

We arrived in Genoa at about 7am on the Sunday morning. I think it was in March or late February - I can't be exactly sure of the date. We all wanted to go to see Sampdoria in 1991 because they were having a splendid season and we had been watching the Italian league football via the old defunct square dish of BSB.

This was the season after the Italia90 World Cup and everything Italian and football was in, for Italy was the Hollywood of football talent at the time. Because Sampdoria was having this magnificent season we decided to go and watch a game and got an Italian friend who worked in London with us, to write a letter in Italian. We got a taxi driver ,at the station in Genoa, to take us to the football ground on this early Sunday morning. Everything was closed, as one might expect, on Sunday morning. The city was charming, old and surrounded by mountains. 

When we got out of the taxi by the football ground we approached a group of Ultras standing outside of the ground and gave them the letter written in Italian. They seemed surprised and pleased that English football lovers had come to Genoa to watch Sampdoria. It was then that one of the Ultras called over to Claudio, who seemed to speak good English. I can remember them being amused and saying 'Inglesis,' amid their talk.

The Italians treated us so wonderfully as we waited through the day to watch the match that started at about 3pm. We made good friends with Claudio who got us into the ground.

It was a great game for us to watch because Sampdoria was playing Napoli and Diego Maradona was still playing for Napoli at the time. It was one of his last games for the club. We, of course, were cheering for Sampdoria who had players like Mancini (Man City Manager) Vialli (who later played at Chelsea) Attila Lombardo (who also came to England)

Sampdoria was challenging for the Italian league title at the time and rivals Inter Milan were playing AC Milan in a local Italian derby. Inter lost against AC Milan which helped Sampdoria to take the lead of the title race. They beat Napoli 4-1 in a great game. First a Brazilian veteran player named, Cerasoe scored. Then Vialli scored making it two to Sampdoria. Mancini was subbed early because I think he was injured. In the second half, Vialli got another - I remember he headed in from a corner. Napoli got one back from the penalty spot. Maradona scored this goal. Then finally Attila Lombardo got a fourth for Sampdoria.

We also met a Scottish doctor living and working in Genoa. He was from London and liked Spurs - much to Ronnie and Dave Fenton's delight. (I know London is not in Scotland, but this guy, called Don was like a Rod Stewart or Ronnie Wood type Scot) He took us to a restaurant after the game and see us off to the station later in the evening as we caught a train back to Paris and then to Calais then again, via hovercraft, back to England.

Sampdoria went on to win the Italian League. I think we English visitors brought a little good fortune along with us on that day. The great side stayed in front until the end of the season. Sampdoria is always this group of English men's favourite club. I always look at the Italian results to see how Sampdoria have done.        

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Ninja Cat Doing Covert Stealth

This is a clip from YouTube about a cat that stealthily sneaks up on the man with the camera. The young moggy is like Doctor Who's Weeping Angle foes. Every time you blink, the creature gets closer...  :)

Dynamic German Engineering - Monster Railway Tunnel Builder in London

Metal moles begin work below London

Tunnelling work is about to begin on a grand scale in London as the £16bn Crossrail project gets set to build 26 miles (42km) of tunnels beneath the capital.

The first of eight highly specialised Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM), which each weigh nearly 1,000 tonnes, is being positioned at Royal Oak in west London. From here it will begin its slow journey east, as it carves out a new east-west underground link. The scheme is currently the largest civil engineering project in Europe.

Continue reading the main story

Described by Boris Johnson as "voracious worms nibbling their way under London", the 150-metre long machines will take three years to build a network of tunnels beneath the city's streets.

Tunnelling will start from the newly-constructed portal at Royal Oak

While tunnelling the TBMs will operate 24 hours a day and move through the earth at a rate of about 100m per week.
Each one is staffed by a 20-strong "tunnel gang" and comes with its own kitchen and toilet.
The machines are monitored from a surface control room which tracks their positions using GPS.
Hydraulic rams at the front keep the 980-tonne machines within millimetres of their designated routes.
A TBM will set you back about £10m.
Once their work is finished, the machines will be sold back to their German manufacturer Herrenknecht and refurbished for further use.

The TBMs will have to navigate London's existing subterranean infrastructure, including sewers, some 10 Tube lines and the Blackwall and Limehouse link road tunnels.
At the deepest point the machines will be travelling about 40m below ground.

The Crossrail scheme was first proposed in the mid 1970s, although plans to build full-size railways through central London were also drawn up after World War II.
When complete by 2018, the line will pass through 37 stations and run 73 miles (118km) from Maidenhead and Heathrow in the west, to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east.

The line is expected to carry about 200 million passengers per year and expand London's rail capacity by about 10%.
Unlike the Tube, the line's rolling stock will be the same size as mainline trains and some 1,500 passengers can be carried in each train at peak periods.

Other tunnel boring machines from all over the world:

Will the human race begin to live underground? Not on Earth but perhaps somewhere else? On asteroids as they are mined etc? Such machines above or below might be a start to such excavations in creating underground artificial environments in places that are less hospitable on the surface but with valuable ore or minerals to be mined.

Below are other such monster boring machines:

Petula Clark Sings Downtown

This is a good old Retro Brit song from the sixties decade when all of Britain was a green field with bunny rabbits hopping about beneath a blue sky with a rainbow across it. Yeah right....  :) I can hear many say.

In my little boy mind it was because I loved Britain and thought everything happened here and nowhere else. How naive I was. Still little kids must be allowed to play. This song was among my Mother's many records. (I'm sure it was not my Dads) 

Nic Jones - The Bonny Bunch of Roses

This song called; The Bonny Bunch of Roses is about Napoleon and his invasion of Russia in 1812 and Britain's stand against him. I always liked the lyrics on this and it starts of with young Napoleon talking to his mother about conquering Britain. Young Napoleon is either the grandson or son of Bonaparte. It is a song that 'bigs' itself up, but then we all like these type of things some time or other. This rendition is sung by Nic Jones but there are others that sometimes sing this song too. Fairport Convention being one of them. Hope you enjoy this version.

Steeleye Span - Saucy Sailor

I always had a soft spot for Steelye Span. I love their old world style combined with modern instruments. Many of their songs are old folk from all over the Isles and to listen to them often takes me back in time to a different world and way of life.

Silly Sisters - My Husband's Got No Courage in Him

Maddy Prior and June Tabor did this wonderful folk album and the above track; 'My Husbands Got No Courage in Him,' refers to the lack of lead in the said husband's pencil. In this particular case; his penis. This info is for people not of Brit persuasion who might not understand. It means he is not sexually capable of pleasing his wife. It is a comical song and would have probably been more for the ale houses of the time or at a village gathering when all were inebriated and being frivolous and naughty. 

UK 1960s Deacade - Dusty Springfield - i only want to be with you (V.RARE) 60s

 

 

 

 

Dusty Springfield had a TV show in the 1960s and I can remember that my mother had several of her LPs. This was one of her favourites and I could remember my mother singing it often when she was pottering about the house. Again - kind memories from a time when I thought all grown ups were extremely clever. I think I realised they were not when I became one. It suddenly dawned on me one day. However, that was in about the year 1981 when I turned 20, so I cling to the more infantile view I had of the 1960s. Every thing was great and being British was champion. I used to feel sorry for people that were not British as a kid. Such was the conviction of my little kiddie vanity... :) 

Germany wakes up and smells the coffee

Daniel Hannan makes a very important speech concerning the powerhouse economy of Germany. I honestly think the UK is right on their stance concerning the fiscal Union, despite being isolated because of David Cameron's veto of the treaty.

Germany can't continue to be the bottomless pocket for the failing southern nations of Europe. It will allow a long term state of apathy to develop. (If it has not developed already when these nations came into the Euro currency on a level playing field along side Germany, France, Netherlands etc)  

You can't keep lending bankrupt friends money, it exasperates the situation. The southern Euro nations have to be able to claw themselves out. In the long run; bale outs will not help and the Germans, I think, are beginning to realise this.

France Anger at UK Veto of New EU treaty.

It’s all getting very nasty now the French are throwing their rattles out of the pram. This sort of thing just hardens people’s resolve. The UK wants the Euro to succeed and get out of the mess it is in. The UK is outside of this but still a member of the European Union. Despite being outside of the Eurozone; (Countries that use Euro currency) the UK is still obliged and will help financially to get the Euro back on track. We will not sign the fiscal Union of the new amended treaty because it threatens our banking industry in London. We do not want to drive them overseas. Because our British Prime Minister David Cameron Vetoed the new treaty on the basis of the banks; France is now acting like a spoilt little baby and making an already bad situation worse. David Cameron came up against the Eurozone countries stubborn resilience concerning this matter. So he chose not to enter the UK into the new treaty agreement. He had no choice and the UK will not be blackmailed by France on this matter.

Again this wins votes for the anti-European movement in Britain. Many British people want the UK to remain in Europe, but there are a large number that want to quit. Sooner or later one of the main political parties will fight an election on the referendum vote. This could be dangerous for the UK, because decades of work within the European Union will go to waste. However, when one is confronted with this type of French winging; it forces one to wonder if being united with such a fickle government is worth it.

Kraftwerk - Retro German Band

Kraftwerk means power plant or power station and the name is synonymous with the very influential Retro German band. Their strictly electronic style started in the 1970s. They are regarded as pioneers of the late seventies and early eighties electronic music movements. Kraftwerk had a great presentation style that accompanied their music, almost like un-dead, yet something ultra clean and almost sterile. It does not sound complimentary, I know, but there still remains something evocative about their simple lyrics and their germ-free appearance – something pristine and self-assured still won through and captivated people all over the world.