Catalog
Bronze Unit 'Trinovantian O' - Tasciovanus
| Issuer | Catuvellauni tribe |
|---|---|
| Year | 15 BC - 10 BC |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Obverse description | Bare male head facing right, rendered in a schematic Celtic style with short hair indicated by pellet-and-arc motifs. A foliate or vegetal ornament appears behind the head, characteristic of late Iron Age British coinage. The portrait, while stylistically derived from classical Hellenistic prototypes, is executed in the abstract, linear tradition of Catuvellaunian bronzes. The legend DIAS appears partially visible in the field. |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | DIAS |
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| Additional information |
Tasciovanus ruled the Catuvellauni from roughly the late first century BC into the early first century AD, making this issue contemporary with the final decades before Rome's invasion transformed the political map of southern Britain. The 'Trinovantian O' classification reflects a long-running scholarly debate about whether Tasciovanus briefly extended his authority into Trinovantian territory — a rival tribe centered around modern Colchester — an act of territorial aggression that may have provoked intervention before being reversed.
The ABC and Van Arsdell reference numbers place this within a closely studied series, yet die linkage work on these small bronzes remains incomplete.