1st century AD King of the Brigantes in northern Britain
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Venutius
King of the Brigantes
King of the Brigantes (first reign)
Reign
before AD 51 – after AD 51
Successor
Vellocatus
Co-ruler
Cartimandua
King of the Brigantes (second reign)
Reign
AD 69–?
Predecessor
Cartimandua and Vellocatus
Spouse
Cartimandua (divorced)
Section of Tor Dyke, defensive wall built under the instructions of Venutius against Roman invasion
Venutius was a 1st-century king of the Brigantes in northern Britain at the time of the Roman conquest. Some have suggested he may have belonged to the Carvetii, a tribe that probably formed part of the Brigantes confederation.[1]
History first becomes aware of him as husband of Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes, in about 51 AD. After the British resistance leader Caratacus was defeated by Publius Ostorius Scapula in Wales, he fled north to the Brigantes, only to be handed over to the Romans by Cartimandua. While the Brigantes were nominally an independent kingdom, Tacitus says Cartimandua and Venutius were loyal to Rome and "defended by Roman power". However, after the capture of Caratacus, Venutius became the most prominent leader of resistance to the Roman occupation. Cartimandua had apparently tired of him and married his armour-bearer, Vellocatus, whom she elevated to the kingship in Venutius's place. Initially, Venutius sought only to overthrow his ex-wife, only later turning his attention to her Roman protectors. The Romans defended their client queen and Venutius's revolt was defeated by Caesius Nasica during the governorship of Aulus Didius Gallus (52 - 57 AD).[2]
Taking advantage of Roman instability during the year of four emperors, Venutius revolted again, this time in 69 AD. Cartimandua appealed for troops from the Romans, who were only able to send auxiliaries. Cartimandua was evacuated and Venutius took the kingdom.[3]
This second revolt may have had wider repercussions: Tacitus says that Vespasian, once emperor, had to "recover" Britain. He also says, introducing the events of the year of four emperors, that Britain was abandoned having only just been pacified (although some think this is in reference to the consolidation of Agricola's later conquests in Caledonia (Scotland)).[4]
What happened to Venutius after the accession of Vespasian is not recorded. Quintus Petillius Cerialis (governor 71 to 74 AD) campaigned against the Brigantes,[5] but they were not completely subdued for many decades: Agricola (governor 78 to 84 AD) appears to have campaigned in Brigantian territory,[6] and both the Roman poet Juvenal and the Greek geographer Pausanias refer to warfare against the Brigantes in the first half of the second century.[7]
^Brigantes at Roman-Britain.co.uk
^Tacitus, Annals 12:36, 12:40
^Tacitus, Histories 3:45
^Tacitus, Histories 1:2
^Tacitus, Agricola 17
^Tacitus, Agricola 22
^Juvenal, Satires 14.196; Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.43.4
says Cartimandua and Venutius were loyal to Rome and "defended by Roman power". However, after the capture of Caratacus, Venutius became the most prominent...
not appear to have obtained it through marriage. She and her husband, Venutius, are described by Tacitus as loyal to Rome and "defended by our [Roman]...
defeated Venutius' rebellion. After the divorce, Cartimandua married Venutius' armour-bearer, Vellocatus, and raised him to the kingship. Venutius staged...
confederation, and some, including Higham and Jones, have speculated that Venutius, first husband of the Brigantian queen Cartimandua and later (69 A.D.)...
armour-bearer to Venutius, husband of Cartimandua, the queen of the Brigantes and an ally of Rome. Some time after 51 AD Cartimandua split with Venutius, divorcing...
ask for Roman aid following a rebellion by Venutius in 69. The Romans evacuated Cartimandua leaving Venutius in power. Tacitus says that in 71 Quintus...
period, reigned over by the Brigantian monarchs Cartimandua and her husband Venutius. The capital was between the north and west ridings Isurium Brigantum (near...
Bolanus had to face the second insurrection of Venutius amongst the Brigantes. Cartimandua, Venutius's ex-wife and queen of the Brigantes, had been a...
commanded Legio IX Hispana in Britain, and defeated the first revolt of Venutius of the Brigantes during the governorship of Aulus Didius Gallus (52 to...
a base for Venutius after his 'divorce' from Cartimandua, the Brigantes Queen who was a supporter of the Roman invaders, unlike Venutius who led several...
Under the command of Caesius Nasica they put down the first revolt of Venutius, king of the Brigantes tribe, between 52 and 57. The Ninth suffered a serious...
life. The Silures were still not pacified, and Cartimandua's ex-husband Venutius replaced Caratacus as the most prominent leader of British resistance....
Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, England. Whether Stanwick was the stronghold of Venutius or Cartimandua, or perhaps of them both for a brief time before their acrimonious...
begins a campaign against the Silures of south Wales. Also in Britain Venutius begins his rebellion against his wife Cartimandua. Emperor Guang Wu grants...
and the Romans by extension, or supporting her husband Venutius and the British rebellion. Venutius went on to take control of the Brigantes tribe and lead...
Quintus Petillius Cerialis to Britain to deal with another rebellion led by Venutius. During the next years, the legion was to stay in the British Islands to...
camp at Jericho and the Romans cut off escape routes toward Jerusalem. Venutius successfully deposes his wife Cartimandua and becomes the ruler of the...
This decision does nothing but increase the Jews' anger. In Britain, Venutius leads a revolt against his ex-wife Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes...
Cartimandua and her Roman allies, once later in the 50s and once in 69, led by Venutius, who had once been Cartimandua's husband. With the capture of Caratacus...
becomes the new governor of Britain and faces a second insurrection of Venutius, king of the Brigantes. July 1 – two legions in Egypt, a legion in Syria...
rule in southern Britain, northern Britain remained volatile. In AD 69 Venutius, a Brigantes noble, was to lead another less well documented revolt, initially...
King of Thrace under Rome (38–46) Brigantes – Cartimandua, Queen (43–69) Venutius, King (?–c.52, 69–?) Vellocatus, King (c.52–c.69) Cantiaci – Vodenos, King...
the same status as Isurium. Tacitus recorded that Isuer was the seat of Venutius, king of the Brigantes who was usurped from power by his wife, Cartismandua...
and Venutius were loyal to the Romans and in return were offered protection by their Imperial neighbours. But the royal couple divorced, and Venutius led...
of what is now Wales, particularly the Silures, continued to hold out. Venutius' first insurrection against Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes occurred...
camp at Jericho and the Romans cut off escape routes toward Jerusalem. Venutius successfully deposes his wife Cartimandua and becomes the ruler of the...
This decision does nothing but increase the Jews' anger. In Britain, Venutius leads a revolt against his ex-wife Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes...
IX Hispana during the final campaign of Cerialis against the Brigantian Venutius. The fort was refurbished in 83 using oak timbers from further afield,...
Taximagulus of the Brittonic Cantiaci Togodumnus of the Brittonic Catuvellauni Venutius of the Brittonic Brigantes Vercingetorix of the Gallic Arverni Viriathus...
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