VERICA
Attested: Verica is known mainly from coins, which suggest that he was a king from the same family as Commius, Eppilus, and Eppaticus, and reigned in southern Britain just before the Roman invasion of AD 43. Cassius Dio reported that a certain Βερικος had been driven out of Britain as a result of an uprising, and had persuaded Claudius to invade.
Where: Probably in the south, with a base at Silchester.
Name origin: Whether the initial letter was V, as in the Latin form, or B, as in Greek, there are plenty of PIE roots to consider as the base of this name. Possibly best is *bhereg- ‘bright, shiny’ because it contributed to so many later names (Bertha, Gilbert, etc).
Notes: Much has been written about regional and dynastic conflicts in early Britain, with Verica guessed to have been very Roman-friendly.
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Last edited 16 April 2024 To main Menu