Tincomarus

Tincomarus (a dithematic name form typical of insular and continental

Roman invasion. His name was previously reconstructed as Tincommius, based on abbreviated coin legends and a damaged mention in Augustus's Res Gestae, but since 1996 coins have been discovered which give his full name.^[1]

He was the son and heir of

client kingdom status with Rome (see Roman client kingdoms in Britain).^[4]

John Creighton argues, based on the imagery used on his coins, that Tincomarus may have been brought up as an obses (diplomatic hostage) in Rome in the early years of Augustus's reign. He compares Tincomarus's coins to those of Juba II of Numidia, who is known to have been an obses, and identifies a coin found in Numidia which may bear the name of Tincomarus's younger brother Verica.^[5]

Juba of Mauretania 48 BC – AD 23 and Tincomarus the Atrebatian 20 BC – 7AD from numismatic evidence appear to have been client Kings of Rome and Tincomarus a possible OBSES diplomatic hostages. Juba II was the only child and heir of King Juba I of Numidia; his mother's identity is unknown. In 46 BC, his father was defeated by Julius Caesar in Thapsus, North Africa and in 40 BC Numidia became a Roman province. (Roller, Duane W. 2003) His father had been an ally of the Roman General Pompey. Tincomarus father Commius the Atrebatian was defeated by Julius Caesar in 51BC in Gallia Belgica, Commius offered hostages and promised he would live where he was told and no longer resist Caesar, on the condition that he never again had to meet a Roman. Mark Antony granted his petition. (Hirtius, De Bello Gallico 8.47-48)

By 16 BC Roman pottery and other imports appear in considerable quantities at Tincomarus's capital of Calleva Atrebatum, today known as Silchester, and it is likely that the Atrebatic king had established trading and diplomatic links with Augustus.

Tincomarus was expelled by his subjects for unknown reasons around AD 8 and fled to Rome as a refugee and supplicant. He was replaced by his brother Eppillus whom Augustus chose to recognise as rex rather than depose and reinstate Tincomarus.^[6] Augustus may have planned to use his ally's ejection as an excuse to invade Britain but other, more pressing foreign policy matters probably persuaded him to postpone the move.