Roman Client Kingdoms in Britannia

  • In 54 BCE, Caesar's Second Invasion of Britannia established several Roman Client Kingdoms. The sons of the Client Kings, such as Cunobelin, were often brought up in Rome and when they inherited their kingdoms they became Romanised Kings.
  • Roman Client Kings were granted either of the following Titles, ‘Rex Sociusque et Amicus’ meaning ‘King, Ally and Friend’, or ‘Rex, Socius et Amicus populi Romani’ meaning  ‘King, Ally and Friend of the Roman People’.

Client Kingdoms established by Julius Caesar

Trinovantes (54 BCE)

    • Mandubracious, King of the Trinovantes, was installed by Julius Caesar in 54 BCE during the Second Invasion of Britannia.
      • The Trinovantes occupied the area of Essex and Suffolk.
      • Around 15 BCE their Capital was moved to Camulodunum Colchester, when it was occupied by Cunobelin and the Catuvellauni.

Catuvellauni

    • Possibly a Roman Client Kingdom for a short time under Cunobelin, otherwise they seem to have been in opposition to Rome. It was not unusual for two or more Roman Client Kingdoms to be at war with each other.
    • Tasciovanus
      • King of the Catuvellauni occupied the territory of the Trinovantes and moved their Capital to Camulodunum Colchester.
      • He minted coins in the Capital St. Albans c. 20 BCE and also minted coins, 15-20 BCE in occupied Camulodunum.
    • Cunobelin, son of Tasciovanus
      • He is Cymbeline, in William Shakespeares’ Play ‘Cymbeline’.
      • He was probably educated in Rome under Augustus, and probably became a Roman Client King.
      • c.9 CE Cunobelin became King of the Catuvellauni and the Trinovantes: he minted coins in the Catuvellauni Capital of St. Albans and in Trinovantes Capital, Camulodunum Colchester.
    • Caratacus and Togodumnus, sons of Cunobelin

Atrebates (54 BCE – 73 CE)

    • Commius
      • King of the Atrebates (Hampshire, West Sussex and Surrey) who initially allied himself with Julius Caesar, before changing sides. Commius had three sons, Eppillus, Tincomarus and Verica.
    • Eppillus
      • King of the Atrebates (son of Commius) who may have ousted his brother as co-ruler in 8 CE. Augustus recognised Eppillus, and did not reinstate Tincomarus.
    • Tincomarus
      • King of the Atrebates (son of Commius), refugee and Supplicant at Rome in 8 CE.
    • Verica
      • King of the Atrebates (son of Commius).
      • It has been argued that his Exile was used as the pretext for the Claudian Invasion in 43 CE, in order to reinstate him.
    • Cogidubnus
      • King of the Atrebates, after the Claudian Invasion.

Client Kingdoms established by Augustus

Cantiaci (c. 7 CE)

    • Dumnovellaunus
      • King of the Cantiaci (Kent, east of the Medway), refugee and Supplicant at Rome in 7 AD.

Client Kingdoms established by Claudius

Iceni (47-60 CE)

    • Prasutagus
      • King of the Iceni in 47 CE.
      • In 47 CE The Iceni had rebelled. After this Prasutagus had been installed and the territory continued to enjoy Independence, with the expectation the Kingdom would revert to Roman Rule after he died.
      • Boudicca
    • In 60 CE Prasutagus died, but in his Will he left his Kingdom to his daughters as well as to Rome, in the hope of continuing the independent Kingdom.
    • The Will was ignored and the kingdom was taken over by the Romans when he died. His wife, Boudicca, and her children were enslaved, leading the Iceni under Boudicca to plan a Major Rebellion.
    • In 60 CE Boudicca's Revolt broke out at Colchester and very nearly ejected the Romans from Britannia. The Revolt was eventually crushed at the Battle of Watling Street, and the Iceni lost their independence.

Brigantes (43-69 CE)

    • Cartimandua
      • Queen of the Brigantes, was co-ruler with her husband King Venutius. The Brigantes are a Federation of Tribes occupying the whole of Northern England. In 51 CE King Caractacus, who has been fighting the Romans, is eventually defeated and takes refuge with her. Cartimandua hands him over to the Romans, in a gesture od solidarity.
    • In 69 CE, the Romans are obliged to rescue Cartimandua from Venutius, after she left him for her armour-bearer Vellocatus. Venutius then resists Roman Rule until 73 CE, but the Brigantes are only finally conquered by Agricola in 79 CE.

Client Kingdoms established by Antoninus Pius

Votadini (c. 138-c. 408 CE)

    • The Votadini lived between Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall, with their Capital at Taprain Law.
      • In 142 CE The Frontier was moved up from Hadrian's Wall to the Antonine Wall, which was built between 138-142 CE.
      • This area then became a Roman Province for twenty years, until 162 CE, when the Frontier returned to Hadrian's Wall.
    • In 162 CE, the Antonine Wall was decommissioned, and the Frontier returned to Hadrian's Wall.
    • 162-c.408 CE It is thought that the Votadini may have became a Roman Client Kingdom until the Romans left Britannia in c.408 CE.
    • After 408 CE, they continued as an independent kingdom until invaded by the Angles in c.600 CE.

 

Venta Icenorum, capital of the Iceni

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