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Thetford was this the home of the Iceni Royal family? Click here to see the evidence
More about Prasutagus Click Here
The Iceni King would have commanded a tremendous amount of respect from the other local tribes, he had an estimated population of tens of thousands of Iceni Tribesmen and women.
We know from the writings of Tacticus and the Greek Cassius Dio that he was a wily politician, and a keen trader when the Romans first began to adorn his settlements with luxury goods and wine, in return for the Iceni’s rich harvests.
At some time before his death it is known that he wrote a will of sorts, the benefactors each receiving a half share in his wealthy kingdom. The problem being and one which would eventually result in his tribe being almost completely dissipated, was that the Roman War Machine didn’t take to kindly to having to share this windfall with Prasutagus family.
It is commonly thought that the King resided in Caister St Edmund, though it is equally possible that it was Thetford. He would almost definitely have lived in a large settlement, his own roundhouse superior and surrounded by his Tribesmen, it would have housed most of the tribes treasure beneath its earthy floors. The interior though dark would have been cosily adorned with animal furs and elaborate bronze carvings that the Iceni were famed for. A large fire both for cooking and heating the dwelling would have been set in the middle and a small whole in the centre of the thatched roof, used to draw the fires smoke out.
The King himself would probably have dressed in brightly coloured Hessian type material and leather decorated with bronze strips. This vibrantly dyed material may well have been the predecessor of Tartan.
Prasutagus was one of the first of his day to realise the importance of a more universal monetary system, and proceeded to manufacture his own coinage, silver coins in the main, as the Iceni preferred not to melt down their gold treasure, as was the general trend at the time.
Prasutagus and Boudicca
The marriage itself would most certainly been at least a day long affair, a great feast would have been prepared, the tribe excitedly having worked hard to give a great welcome to their new Queen. Boudicca was more than likely the daughter of the House of an influential neighbouring tribe, this marriage possibly allying the Iceni to the Trinovantes Tribe.
The musicians and tribal dancers playing into the night illuminated by huge fires, there would have been much merriment aided by large quantities of local brew (Iceni Brewery), and Roman wine.
It is unlikely that the Iceni King and Queen produced a son from the marriage, as there is no mention of him at all, and if indeed there had been a male heir it would have been he and not Boudicca who inherited the kingdom after Prasutagus’s death.
It does seem though that Boudicca had at least two daughters that were famously and brutally raped by Roman soldiers in front of her and her Tribe. It was this event that fired Queen Boudicca’s anger and which gave her the strength to rally her troops and begin a war that would ultimately mean the demise of the Iceni.