Catuvellauni

Territory: South-eastern Britain, modern Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and southern Cambridgeshire

Tribal Capital: Verulamium (modern St. Albans) The extensive earthworks at Devil’s Dyke near Wheathampstad are thought to have been the tribe's original capital.

The Catuvellauni may be related to the Catalauni, a tribe in Belgic Gaul living in the region of Châlons.

Cassivellaunus, who led the resistance to Julius Caesar in both his expeditions to Britain, is often taken to have belonged to the Catuvellauni. His tribal background is not mentioned by Caesar and it is interesting that the Catuvellauni tribe are nowhere mentioned in any of Caesar’s memoirs. Cassivellaunus possibly formed the tribe from a federation of smaller like-minded Belgic tribes living north of the Thames, specifically to counter Caesar.

The tribe has known several great rulers, one of them was Cunobelin, son of Tasciovanus.

Little is known of the life of Cunobelin. Under Cunobelinus and his family the Catuvellauni appear to have become the dominant power in south-eastern Britain and he ruled the joint Catuvellauni/Tronivantian kingdom from Camulodunum. Three sons of Cunobelinus are known to history: Adminius, Togodumnus and Caratacus

Around 40 AD his sons Togodumnus and Caratacus swept through South-east Britain, first deposing their brother Adminius (who had pro-Roman tendancies) from Cantium and then their old adversary Verica of the Atrebates and by doing this, brought the attentions of Rome. Cunobelin died shortly before the second Roman invasion in 42 AD and was succeeded by his son Togodumnus.

Adminius fled and sought audience with the mad Gaius Caligula, trying to persuade the emperor that Britain was 'ripe for intervention' at this time. The attempt of Gaius failed terribly but Adminius was repatriated with his homeland by the emperor Claudius in 43 AD.

During the second Roman invasion, Togodumnus fought at least two major engagements against Aulus Plautius in 43 AD and died after the battle of the Medway. Plautius sent word for the emperor to join him and Claudius led the final advance to Camulodunum. The territories of the Catuvellauni then became the nucleus of the new Roman province. Verulamium gained the status of municipium, allowing its leading magistrates to become Roman citizens. It was destroyed in the rebellion of Boudica in 60AD, but was soon rebuilt.

Caratacus fought several battles against Plautius during the invasion before retreating to Wales, where he organised the tribes, particularly the Silures and Ordovices, against Rome.

Governor Ostorius Scapula finally beat him in Wales in 50 AD. Caratacus fled to the Brigantes where he asked for help from Queen Cartimandua. She betrayed and captured him, and honouring her agreement with emperor Claudius, dispatched him in chains to Scapula. He was sent as a captive to the emperor, where he so impressed the Senate with his defiant speech that he was allowed to live with his family in Rome.

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