An archaeologist has challenged the traditional view that Verica, a British ruler who sought help from Emperor Claudius, was a king. Dr Miles Russell of Bournemouth University argues that Verica may instead have been a queen, a possibility that could change how historians understand the politics of Iron Age Britain and the Roman invasion of AD43.
Verica ruled the Atrebates, whose territory included parts of what are now southern Hampshire and West Sussex. After the death of the powerful leader Cunobelinus and the rise of his son Caratacus, Verica was exiled and went to Rome. Russell says Verica’s appeal to Claudius was crucial to the invasion, arguing that it might not have happened without the ruler’s intervention.
Russell points to several features of coins issued in Verica’s name. The Latin name ending in “a” may be feminine, he says, while the title “Rex” on the coins did not necessarily identify the ruler’s sex. He also interprets some coin imagery as depicting a woman on horseback. Abbreviated inscriptions commonly read as “son of” could, in his view, also mean “daughter of”.
The theory is disputed. Oxford-based archaeologist and Latin specialist Roger Tomlin notes that some male Latin names end in “a”, but says the masculine form “Vericus” is the strongest indication that Verica may have been female. He also argues that evidence is lacking to show that Romans used “Rex” for both male and female rulers. The ancient writer Cassius Dio referred to the ruler as “Bericus” and assumed he was a man, though Russell suggests the name may have been distorted in transmission.
Iron Age archaeologist and coin expert Daphne Nash Briggs is also sceptical. She points to coins that appear to show a male figure on horseback and others that may depict Verica in male priestly dress. Russell disputes those interpretations, saying one image represents the emperor and that the figure in priestly clothing is not clearly identifiable as a man or as Verica.
Russell’s argument will appear in his forthcoming book, “Caratacus: Great King of Britain”. He says debate over Verica’s identity is worthwhile, while the experts’ differing readings of the coins and inscriptions leave the question unresolved.
Sources: The Guardian Science.