Tasciovanus facts for kids

This gold coin, called a stater, belonged to Tasciovanus. Look closely at the front (Obverse): Can you find the hidden faces in the patterns? On the back (Reverse), there's a Celtic warrior on a horse, holding a special horn called a carnyx.

A coin showing Tasciovanus, who was a king of the Catuvellauni people.

Tasciovanus was an important king of the Catuvellauni tribe in ancient Britain. He ruled before the Romans took over Britain. He likely died around 9 AD.

Who Was Tasciovanus?

We know about Tasciovanus mostly from the coins he made. These coins are like little pieces of history! He became king of the Catuvellauni around 20 BC. His main city was called Verlamion, which is where the city of St Albans is today.

He might have moved his tribe's main city to Verlamion from an older place nearby. For a short time, between 15 and 10 BC, he even made coins in Camulodunum (Colchester). This suggests he might have taken over that city from another king named Addedomarus.

Tasciovanus's Coins

After his time in Camulodunum, Tasciovanus went back to making coins in Verlamion. Some of his coins have the word "RICON" on them. This word comes from an old British language and means "great king" or "divine king."

Some coins also have other short names like "DIAS," "SEGO," or "ANDOCO." These might have been the names of other rulers who worked with Tasciovanus. Or, they could have been marks showing where the coins were made.

His Family and Successors

Tasciovanus died around 9 AD. His son, Cunobeline, became the next king. Cunobeline mostly ruled from Camulodunum. Another of Tasciovanus's sons, named Epaticcus, expanded their kingdom even further west.

Old Stories About Tasciovanus

People in the Middle Ages told stories about Tasciovanus. One old Welsh book from that time has a family tree. It says "Caratacus, son of Cunobelinus, son of Tasciovanus." This shows the correct order of these kings, even though the story itself might not be fully accurate. It means people remembered them for a very long time!

Tenvantius in Legends

A famous writer named Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote a book called Historia Regum Britanniae in 1136. In this book, Tasciovanus appears as a legendary king named Tenvantius. He is said to be the son of King Lud.

When his father died, Tenvantius and his older brother were too young to rule. So, their uncle, Cassivellaunus, became king of Britain. Tenvantius was made the Duke of Cornwall. He even helped his uncle fight against the famous Roman general Julius Caesar.

Later, when Cassivellaunus died, Tenvantius became the king of Britain. His son, Kimbelinus (who was Cunobeline), then became king after him.

This small gold coin, called a quarter stater, was found in the Kent area. It also has the name Tasciovanus on it and dates to around 5-15 AD.