Editing Eppillus

{{short description|Roman client king of the Atrebates tribe of the British Iron Age}}
{{Infobox royalty
| name=Eppillus
| image=
| caption=
| title=King of the [[Atrebates]] 
| reign=c. 20 BC&nbsp;– c. 15 (southern Atrebatic kingdom)<br/> c. 7&nbsp;– c. 15 (northern Atrebatic kingdom)
| predecessor= [[Commius]] (southern Atrebatic kingdom)<br/> [[Tincomarus]] (northern Atrebatic kingdom)
| successor=[[Verica]], king of the Atrebates
| father= [[Commius]]
}}
'''Eppillus''' ([[Celtic languages|Celtic]]: "little horse") was the name of a [[Roman client kingdoms in Britain|Roman client king]] of the [[Atrebates]] tribe of the [[British Iron Age]]. He appears to have ruled part of the territory that had previously been held by [[Commius]], the [[Gauls|Gaulish]] former ally of [[Julius Caesar]] who fled to Britain following the uprising of [[Vercingetorix]], or possibly of his son. Eppillus is not mentioned in any historical sources. Coins bearing his name also bear the inscription COMMI.FILI which is generally read as ''Commios filius'' indicating at least a claim to be [[Commius]]'s son.<ref name=Beanmeth239>{{cite thesis |last=Bean|first=Simon C|date=1994 |title=The coinage of Atrebates and Regni |type=Ph.D. |chapter=Coinage of Commios |pages=239-240|publisher=University of Nottingham. |url=http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11944/1/262143.pdf |access-date=14 July 2016}}</ref>

After Commius's death in about 20 BC, based on [[numismatic]] evidence, Eppillus seems to have ruled jointly with another ruler named [[Tincomarus]]. The COMMI.FILI inscription also appears on Tincomarus's coins suggesting they could have been brothers.<ref name=Beanmeth239 /> Eppillus's capital was [[Noviomagus Reginorum]] ([[Chichester]]) in the south of the kingdom, while Tincomarus ruled from [[Calleva Atrebatum]] ([[Silchester]]) in the north.

Eppillus became ruler of the whole territory a little before 7 AD, and Tincomarus appears as a supplicant to the [[Roman emperor|Emperor]] [[Caesar Augustus|Augustus]] in his ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti|Res Gestae]]'', so he would seem to have been driven out in some sort of domestic intrigue. After this, Eppillus's coins are marked "Rex", indicating that he was recognised as king by [[Roman Empire|Rome]].

A single [[stater]] has been found in [[Dover]] bearing the name of Eppillus and an otherwise unknown [[Anarevito]].<ref name=Anarevitobm /><ref name=Anarevitobmsm /> The relationship between the two is unclear although it has been suggested that they were allied rulers.<ref name=Anarevitobm>{{cite web |url=http://culturalinstitute.britishmuseum.org/asset-viewer/iron-age-gold-coin-of-anarevito-and-eppillus/6QGNtRNK6b0DYg?hl=en |title=Iron Age gold coin of Anarevito and Eppillus|website=culturalinstitute.britishmuseum.org |publisher=British Museum |access-date=8 April 2016}}</ref><ref name=Anarevitobmsm>{{cite web |url=https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3374198&partId=1 |title=Coin|website=British museum Collection Online |publisher=British museum  |access-date=8 April 2016 }}</ref>
In about 15 AD, Eppillus was succeeded as king of the Atrebates by [[Verica]]. Verica again issues coins with the COMMI.FILI inscription suggesting perhaps a third brother although Verica's possible presence in Rome in 47 AD would have required Commius to have lived a very long life.<ref name=Beanmeth239 />  At about the same time, coins of the [[Cantiaci]] stamped with the name Eppillus start to appear in [[Kent]], replacing those of [[Dubnovellaunus]]. It is possible that Eppillus was deposed by Verica, fled to Kent and established himself as king there, but equally possible that he was invited to become king by the Cantiaci, peacefully handing the rule of the Atrebates to Verica, or that he died and was succeeded by Verica, and that Eppillus of Kent was another man of the same name.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.roman-britain.co.uk/tribes/atrebates/ Atrebates] and [http://www.roman-britain.co.uk/tribes/cantiaci/ Cantiaci] at [http://www.roman-britain.co.uk Roman-Britain.co.uk]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051125041908/http://romans-in-britain.org.uk/clb_tribe_atrebates.htm Atrebates] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20051125041638/http://romans-in-britain.org.uk/clb_tribe_cantium.htm Cantium] at [http://www.romans-in-britain.org.uk/ Romans in Britain]

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Briton monarchs]]
[[Category:1st-century monarchs in Europe]]