the origin of the name Britain

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fitzcoraldo F
fitzcoraldo Nov 9, 2005 14:10:15
Replying to PeterH

" Later, because of their warlike raids, the name came to mean brigands or bandits"

Peter, I think you may be falling into the trap of the Roman propagandists.
I think that there is scant evidence that the Brigantes were any more or less warlike than any other British tribe before or during the Roman occupation.
What I find interesting is the person who led the Brigantes, Cartimanua, was a woman. It would be interesting to speculate on the role of women during the Iron Age and how this could possibly have related to earlier times.

P PeterH
PeterH Nov 9, 2005 15:56:26
Replying to fitzcoraldo

I take your point, but do you see no connection between Brigantes and brigands? Given that they were in mainland Europe too? And surely the pennine tribes would have been tough nuts to subdue.

Cartimandua - wasn't she the gal that treacherously betrayed Cassivelaunus or is that more propaganda? Trouble with hisory is that it tends to be written by the victors and you cannot always sort truth from propaganda. There is a faction among some Norfolk archaeologists today that seek to tell us that Boudicca was an invention. I'm hazy on the reasoning but its got something to do with Agricola wanting to shame the Roman establishment and so he made the leader of the revolt a woman. Don't believe it myself and yes the existence of two British female leaders - Boudicca and Cartimandua is significant as is the accounts of women fighting in battle. Unfortunately today's feminists turn that into another case for prehistoric girl power. (ducks and runs to avoid flying handbags)