Everything about Verica totally explained
Verica (early
1st century AD) was a
British client king of the
Roman Empire in the years preceding the
Claudian invasion of
43 AD.
From his coinage, he appears to have been king of the
Atrebates tribe and a son of
Commius. He succeeded his elder brother
Eppillus as king in about
15 AD, reigning at
Calleva Atrebatum, today called
Silchester. He was recognised as
rex by Rome and appears to have had friendly trade and diplomatic links with the empire.
His territory was pressed from the east by the
Catuvellauni, led by
Epaticcus, brother of
Cunobelinus, who conquered Calleva in about
25 AD. After Epaticcus's death ca.
35 AD Verica regained some territory, but Cunobelinus's son
Caratacus took over and conquered the entire kingdom some time after
40 AD.
Dio Cassius records that "Bericus" (almost certainly Verica) was expelled from Britain around this time during a revolt.
Suetonius refers to demands by the Britons that Rome return "certain deserters". As
rex, Verica was nominally an ally of Rome, so his exile gave Claudius an excuse to begin his invasion.
Verica's relationship with Rome has been used to argue for the site of the
Roman invasion of Britain as being along the south coast to assist him, rather than being at the traditional spot at
Richborough in Kent.
After the invasion, Verica may have been restored as king but this isn't attested in the historical or archaeological record. In any case a new ruler for the region,
Cogidubnus, soon appeared. Cogidubnus may have been an heir of Verica who by this time would have been very elderly indeed.
Further Information
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