Iron Age British Ruler Verica Was Actually a Woman, Study Reveals
A study published in Current Archaeology reveals that Verica, the Iron Age British ruler who triggered the 43 AD Roman invasion, was a woman, rewriting early British history.
A groundbreaking study published in the journal Current Archaeology reveals that Verica, an Iron Age British ruler and central figure in the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 AD, was actually a woman. This discovery rewrites early British history and highlights the significant role of women in Iron Age Britain.
Verica ruled the Atrebates, a tribe whose territory spanned parts of modern-day Hampshire and West Sussex. Around 40 AD, Verica was deposed and fled to Emperor Claudius in Rome. Roman historians often depicted Claudius as weak-willed, claiming his policies were dictated by women and freedmen. According to Cassius Dio, the Roman invasion of Britain was launched solely because Verica persuaded Claudius to cross the English Channel.
Dr. Myles Russell, head of archaeological field work at Bournemouth University who led the research team, noted that the assumption of Verica being male stemmed from 19th-century patriarchal biases. A key linguistic clue is the suffix "a" in Verica, common in female names of the era, similar to Queen Cartimandua of the Brigantes and Queen Boudica of the Iceni.
Furthermore, Dr. Russell explained that the title "Rex" stamped on coins was gender-neutral in this context, akin to Cleopatra of Egypt. The coins also featured a delicate, bare-chested female figure riding a horse, contrasting with the aggressive male warrior motifs used by other tribal leaders of the period.
