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Iron Age King Was a Queen?
5 Nov
Summary
- New research suggests the influential Iron Age ruler Verica was a queen, not a king.
- Verica's name and coin depictions suggest a female ruler of the Atrebates tribe.
- A female Verica may have persuaded Emperor Claudius to invade Britain in AD43.
New research suggests that Verica, a significant ruler of the Atrebates tribe in Iron Age Britain, may have been a queen rather than a king. This reinterpretation challenges earlier assumptions, which were often influenced by the patriarchal views of classical historians.
Evidence supporting Verica's female identity includes the name ending in 'a,' a common feminine marker, and imagery on coins depicting a slender, feminine, bare-breasted figure on horseback. The title 'rex' used on coins is non-gender-specific, as recognized by Rome.
Verica's territory encompassed parts of modern-day Hampshire and West Sussex. Before being deposed around AD40, Verica is believed to have sought military support from Emperor Claudius in Rome. Some historians now propose that Verica's persuasion was a key factor in Claudius's decision to invade Britain in AD43, an event that secured his reputation as a military leader.
