Britannia

What she looks like

• She is usually depicted with: • a helmet • a trident (symbol of naval power) • a shield bearing the Union flag or earlier British symbols • sometimes a lion beside her, representing courage and strength She often sits facing the sea, emphasizing Britain’s identity as a maritime power.

Origins

The name comes from the Latin Britannia, used by the Romans for the province of Britain after the Roman conquest under Emperor Claudius in AD 43. The Romans themselves used Britannia as a symbolic female figure on coins.

Revival

The image was revived in the 17th century, especially during the reign of Charles II, and became strongly associated with British naval strength and empire. She appeared on: • coins (especially the penny and later the 50p) • patriotic art • government symbolism • propaganda posters

“Rule, Britannia!”

She is also linked to the famous patriotic song Rule, Britannia!, first performed in 1740 as part of the masque Alfred, created by: • James Thomson (lyrics) • Thomas Arne (music) The work celebrated Alfred the Great, and the song quickly became far more famous than the rest of the piece. whose famous line is: “Rule, Britannia! Britannia rule the waves: Britons never, never, never shall be slaves.” This helped cement her as a symbol of national pride and imperial confidence. It is still traditionally performed at the Last Night of the Proms, often with enthusiastic audience participation.

Today

Britannia still appears on some British coins and in political or cultural symbolism, though she is less central than in the height of the British Empire. She remains one of the classic national symbols of Britain, alongside the lion, the bulldog and figures like John Bull. Stoke City’s football stadium was originally called the Britannia stadium when it was built in 1997 although it was named after the sponsors Britannia Building Society which merged with The Co- operative Banking Group in 2009. The building society was founded as the Leek & Moorlands Building Society in Leek in 1856 and wasn’t named Britannia until 1975 so it’s highly unlikely that Britannia herself ever worked there or had anything to do with it - Three of Fat Badger Kilo’s cousins did work there though

Britannia

Britannia is the female personification of Britain, often shown as a strong, calm warrior figure representing the nation.

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