Editing Tincomarus

[[File:Tincomarus stater.jpg|thumb|[[Stater]] of Tincomarus, king of the [[Atrebates]].]]
'''Tincomarus''' (a dithematic name form typical of insular and continental [[Celt]]ic [[onomastics]], analysable as ''tinco-'', perhaps a sort of fish [cf Latin ''tinca'', English ''tench''] + ''maro-'', "big") was a king of the [[Iron Age]] [[Belgae|Belgic]] tribe of the [[Atrebates]] who lived in southern central [[Prehistoric Britain|Britain]] shortly before the [[Roman invasion of Britain|Roman invasion]]. His name was previously reconstructed as '''Tincommius''', based on abbreviated coin legends and a damaged mention in [[Augustus]]'s ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti|Res Gestae]]'', but since 1996 coins have been discovered which give his full name.{{sfn|Cheesman|1998|p=312}}

He was the son and heir of [[Commius]] and succeeded his father around 25-20 BC. Based on coin distribution it is possible that Tincomarus ruled in collaboration with his father for the last few years of Commius's life.{{sfn|Creighton|2000|p=78}} Little is known of his reign although [[numismatism|numismatic]] evidence suggests that he was more sympathetic to Rome than his father was in later years: the coins he issued  much more closely resemble Roman types, and are made in such a way they may have come from Roman die-cutters. GC Boon has suggested that this technical advance was not limited to coinage and represents wider industrial assistance from the Roman Empire.{{sfn|Creighton|2000|p=120}} Tincomarus's successors used the term ''rex'' on their coins and this indicates that Tincomarus had begun the process of achieving [[client kingdom]] status with Rome (see [[Roman client kingdoms in Britain]]).{{sfn|Creighton|2000|pp=216-217}}

John Creighton argues, based on the imagery used on his coins, that Tincomarus may have been brought up as an ''obses'' (diplomatic hostage) in [[Ancient Rome|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]].{{sfn|Creighton|2000|pp=92-93 & 120-121}}
[[File:King tincomarus obses diplomatic hostage by commius df8wdfc.png|1000px|thumb|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.{{sfn|Frere|Millett|2012}} 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.

==References==
=== Citations ===
{{reflist|20em}}

=== Bibliography ===
{{refbegin}}
*[[Augustus]], ''[[Res Gestae Divi Augusti]]''
* {{cite book |last1=Creighton |first1=John |author-link=John Creighton (archaeologist) |title=Coins and Power in Late Iron Age Britain |date=6 July 2000 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-43172-9 |language=en}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Cheesman |first1=C. E. A. |author1-link=Clive Cheesman |title=Tincomarus Commi Filius |journal=Britannia |date=1998 |volume=29 |pages=309–315 |doi=10.2307/526822}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |title=Tincomarus |encyclopedia=The Oxford Classical Dictionary |year=2012 |edition=4 |last1=Frere |first1=Sheppard S. |author1-link=Sheppard Frere |last2=Millett |first2=Martin J. |author2-link=Martin Millett |publisher=Oxford University Press| ISBN=9780199545568 |doi=10.1093/acrefore/9780199381135.013.6476}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20030422171207/http://athens.arch.ox.ac.uk/coins/cci3b.htm Coinage south of the Thames]
*[http://www.roman-britain.co.uk/tribes/atrebates/ Atrebates] at [http://www.roman-britain.co.uk  Roman-Britain.co.uk]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080725071840/http://www.romans-in-britain.org.uk/clb_tribe_atrebates.htm Atrebates] at [http://www.romans-in-britain.org.uk/ Romans in Britain]

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