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How Accurate Is the TV Series Britannia?

373 bytes added, 10:51, 23 May 2019
Main Characters
==Main Characters==
Aulus Plautius: He is a historical figure who is known to have successfully invaded Britain in 43 BC. He is shown as a ruthless leader, willing to kill his men to impose discipline and achieve his ambition, while also striking deals with the Britianswhile also killing innocents without mercy. He is willing to change tactics and break promises to achieve his goals by making a needed alliance and then changing change them again to attain his goals. Historically, we know Plautius did conduct a successful campaign in Britannia, fighting off guerilla attacks and fighting formal battles. However, he faced The Romans also did try to play off the Celtic tribes by making alliances as they needed. Plautius did face considerable troubles and did have to ask Emperor Claudius for assistance by having a second wave of Roman legions invading invade some months after the initial invasion. With this, the Romans were able to take Camulodunum, which is modern Colchester, which was capital of the chief Celtic rivals in Britain. He also became the first governor of the conquered province of Britannia.<ref>For more on Plautius, see: Hoffmann, B., 2013. <i>The Roman invasion of Britain: archaeology versus history </i>. Pen & Sword Military, Barnsley.</ref>
Kerra: She is shown as a leader among the Cantii, who are also known as the Cantiaci, which gave the name Kent used in modern Britain. The Cantii had known about the Romans from long before and had, in fact, traded with them. Kerra, like many other Celtic women, was shown as a strong leader of her people, but also tried to show wisdom in seeing that fighting Rome directly was not a good tactic for her people. She is also sometimes quick to make decisions, which could be costly in leading to needless conflict, such as castrating her husband that triggered the fight with the Regni. She is eventually betrayed by Plautius and his invading forces. There is no historical account of Kerra, although the personality that made her is based on knowledge of female leaders in Celtic tribes.<ref>For more on the Celts and women in Celtic society, see: Markale, J., 1986. <i>Women of the Celts</i>, 1st U.S. ed. ed. Inner Traditions International, Rochester, Vt.</ref>
Cait: She is shown initially as a young girl who is about to undergo transformation into an adult but the Romans disrupt her initiation ceremony. She is also not a historical figure but the first season suggests she may represent someone like Boudica or other female leaders who did revolt against the Romans.
Queen Antedia: She is Queen of the Ragni, who wants revenge against Kerra (for castrating her son on their wedding day) and the Canti. She sees the Romans as a potential benefit for her, but she learns the hard way that the Romans were only really interested in conquest. Similar to Kerra, we do not know any historical documents about her but she also represents some general figures in Celtic history. The Ragni Regni are also known as the Regnenses and lived in southern England, with the capital having been located in modern-day Chichester.<ref>For more on the different tribes of the Celts, see: Cunliffe, B.W., 1978. <i>Iron age communities in Britain: an account of England, Scotland, and Wales from the seventh century BC until the Roman conquest</i>, 2d ed. ed, Archaeology of Britain. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London ; Boston. </ref>
Veran: Is a leader of the Druids and he claims to have mystical powers as an ancient man. Both the Canti and Ragni Regni respect him and also fear him and the Druids for their magic. The Druids are seen as priests and mystical people, in part this narrative is informed by Roman sources but little is known about them.<ref>For more on the Druids, see: Hutton, R., 2011. <i>Blood and mistletoe: the history of the Druids in Britain</i>, 1. print. in paperback. ed. Yale Univ. Press, New Haven, Conn. </ref>
Divis: He is a Druid and considered the outcast of society in Britannia. He sees a vision of the invading Romans and he sees himself as the one capable of stopping them by killing the emperor. He helps Cait escape and sees the Romans as the incarnation of the demon god Lokka.
Amena: She is a Cantii queen in waiting who has multiple husbands, including Phaedon and Lindon. She only really wants power for herself and ultimately uses the Romans to achieve her hold on power, albeit as their puppet, without considering the trouble she is creating for her people.
King Pellenor: He is initially the king of the Cantii who is more concerned with the Ragni than the Romans, a fatal judgment. He follows the Druids blindly, even to the point where he flays his own wife alive to appease the gods. He eventually falls from power as Kerra is decreed the new Queen.

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