Editing Atrebates (section)

===Britain===
{{Infobox Celts of England
|Name         = Atrebates
|fullname          = Atrebates
|map               = [[Image:Britain.south.peoples.Ptolemy.jpg|220px|Celtic tribes of South England]]
|name          = Atrebates
|capital           = ''[[Calleva Atrebatum]]'' <small>([[Silchester]])</small>
|location      = [[Hampshire]]<br />[[West Sussex]]<br />[[Berkshire]]
|rulers             = [[Commius]]<br />[[Tincomarus]], [[Eppillus]], [[Verica]]
}}

Commius soon established himself as king of the British Atrebates, a kingdom he may have founded. Their territory comprised modern [[Hampshire]], [[West Sussex]] and [[Berkshire]], centred on the capital [[Calleva Atrebatum]] (modern [[Silchester]]). They were bordered to the north by the [[Dobunni]] and [[Catuvellauni]]; to the east by the [[Regni]]; and to the south by the [[Belgae#Belgae outside Gaul|Belgae]].

The settlement of the Atrebates in Britain was not a mass population movement. Archaeologist [[Barry Cunliffe]] argues that they "seem to have comprised a series of indigenous tribes, possibly with some intrusive Belgic element, given initial coherence by Commius".{{citation needed|date=November 2008}} It is possible that the name "Atrebates", as with many "tribal" names in this period, referred only to the ruling house or dynasty and not to an ethnic group; Commius and his followers, after arriving in Britain, may have established a power-base and gradually expanded their sphere of influence, creating what was in effect a proto-[[Sovereign state|state]]. However, during Caesar's first expedition to Britain in 55 BC, after the Roman cavalry had been unable to cross the Channel, Commius was able to provide a small group of horsemen from his people, suggesting that he may have already had kin in Britain at that time.{{citation needed|date=November 2008}} After this time, the Atrebates were recognized as a [[Roman client kingdoms in Britain|client kingdom]] of Rome.{{citation needed|date=November 2008}}

Coins stamped with Commius's name were issued from Calleva from ca. 30 BC to 20 BC. Some coins are stamped "COM COMMIOS": interpreting this as "Commius son of Commius", and considering the length of his apparent ''[[floruit]]'', some have concluded that there were two kings, father and son, of the same name.{{citation needed|date=November 2008}}

Three later kings of the British Atrebates name themselves on their coins as sons of Commius: [[Tincomarus]], [[Eppillus]] and [[Verica]]. Tincomarus seems to have ruled jointly with his father from about 25 BC until Commius's death in about 20 BC. After that, Tincomarus ruled the northern part of the kingdom from Calleva, while Eppillus ruled the southern half from Noviomagus ([[Chichester]]). Numismatic and other archeological evidence suggests that Tincomarus took a more pro-Roman stance than his father, and John Creighton argues from the imagery on his coins that he was brought up as an ''obses'' (diplomatic hostage) in [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] under [[Augustus]].

[[File:Tincomarus stater.jpg|thumb|left|100px|[[Stater]] of [[Tincomarus]], king of the Atrebates.]]

Augustus's ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti|Res Gestae]]'' mentions two British kings presenting themselves to him as supplicants, probably ca. 7 AD. The passage is damaged, but one is probably Tincomarus (the other is [[Dubnovellaunus]], of either the [[Trinovantes]] or the [[Cantiaci]]). It appears Tincomarus was ousted by his brother, and from this point Eppillus's coins are marked "''Rex''", indicating that he was recognised as king by Rome.

In about 15, Eppillus was succeeded by Verica (at about the same time, a king by the name of Eppillus appears as ruler of the Cantiaci in [[Kent]]). But Verica's kingdom was being pressed by the expansion of the [[Catuvellauni]] under [[Cunobelinus]]. Calleva fell to Cunobelinus's brother [[Epaticcus]] by about 25. Verica regained some territory following Epaticcus's death in about 35, but Cunobelinus's son [[Caratacus]] took over the campaign and by the early 40s the Atrebates were conquered. Verica fled to Rome, giving the new emperor [[Claudius]] a pretext for the [[Roman conquest of Britain]].{{citation needed|date=November 2008}}

After the Roman conquest, part of the Atrebates' lands were organized into the pro-Roman kingdom of the [[Regni]] under [[Tiberius Claudius Cogidubnus]], who may have been Verica's son. The tribal territory was later organised as the ''[[civitas|civitates]]'' (administrative districts within a Roman province) of the Atrebates, Regni and possibly the Belgae.