8140 Gallic Chariot with Warrior Queen

Dated: December 2, 2007

The peoples whom the Greeks and Romans called Celts occupied a broad area of Europe and included many different tribes with their own customs and military traditions. Chariots had once been widespread among Celtic warriors, particularly as prestigious vehicles for nobles and champions, but by the time of Julius Caesar they had largely disappeared from warfare in continental Gaul. In Britain, however, the war chariot remained an important and distinctive part of native warfare well into the first century AD.

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Roman soldiers encountered British chariots during Julius Caesar's expeditions to Britain in 55 and 54 BC. Caesar described them racing across the battlefield while warriors hurled missiles at the enemy. The warrior could then dismount and fight on foot while the driver remained nearby, ready to carry him away or move him rapidly to another part of the battle.

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This combination gave the chariot some of the mobility of cavalry while allowing its warrior to fight as an infantryman when necessary. Charioteers relied upon speed, noise and constant movement to unsettle enemy formations rather than attempting simply to drive their vehicles directly through disciplined ranks. Skilled drivers were expected to manoeuvre their horses and vehicles with remarkable precision.

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Chariots were also symbols of status. Ownership required horses, equipment and considerable resources, making them particularly appropriate for chiefs, nobles and other important warriors. Their association with leadership continued even after their military importance began to decline.

The most famous Celtic warrior queen was Boudica, ruler of the Iceni of eastern Britain. In AD 60 or 61 she led a major revolt against Roman rule after the death of her husband, King Prasutagus. The rebels destroyed Camulodunum, Londinium and Verulamium before finally being defeated by the Roman governor Suetonius Paulinus. The Roman historian Tacitus specifically describes Boudica addressing her followers from a chariot with her daughters beside her.

Boudica was not the only woman who could hold power within Celtic society, and the female warrior in this set need not represent her alone. She can be used as a tribal queen, noblewoman or symbolic leader in a variety of Celtic settings. Nevertheless, the combination of a warrior queen and chariot makes the set particularly suitable for representing Boudica and the great British revolt against Rome.

This set contains three two-horse chariots, six horses and nine figures. Each chariot can carry a driver together with a warrior queen, while additional female figures are provided on foot. The mounted queen carries a sword and a severed enemy head, creating a dramatic centrepiece suitable for a chief or tribal leader.

The chariots are especially appropriate for British Celtic armies during Caesar's invasions of Britain and the Roman conquest that began under the Emperor Claudius in AD 43. They can also be used for Boudica's revolt of AD 60-61 and other conflicts in which British tribes resisted Roman expansion.

Combined with our Celtic warriors and Roman sets, these chariots can add an important element of movement and command to ancient battles and dioramas. They are particularly useful for representing the style of warfare that surprised Caesar's soldiers when they first encountered the chariot armies of Britain.