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The Roman client kingdoms in Britain were native tribes which chose to align themselves with the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings aro ...
because they saw it as the best option for self-preservation or for protection from other hostile tribes. Alternatively, the Romans created (or enlisted) some
client kingdom
A client state, in international relations, is a state that is economically, politically, and/or militarily subordinate to another more powerful state (called the "controlling state"). A client state may variously be described as satellite state, ...
s when they felt influence without direct rule was desirable. Client kingdoms were ruled by client kings. In Latin these kings were referred to as ''rex sociusque et amicus'', which translates to "king, ally, and friend".
The type of relationships between client kingdoms and Rome was reliant on the individual circumstances in each kingdom.
The beginnings of the system are to be found in
Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
's re-enthroning of
Mandubracius
Mandubracius or Mandubratius was a king of the Trinovantes of south-eastern Britain in the 1st century BC.
History
Mandubracius was the son of a Trinovantian king, named Imanuentius in some manuscripts of Julius Caesar's ''De Bello Gallico'', ...
as king of the
Trinovantes, who had been dethroned by
Cassivellaunus
Cassivellaunus was a historical Celtic Britons, British military leader who led the defence against Caesar's invasions of Britain, Julius Caesar's second expedition to Britain in 54 BC. He led an alliance of tribes against Ancient Rome, Roman for ...
and then aided Caesar's
second invasion of Britain in 54 BC. The system further developed in the following hundred years, particularly under
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
's influence, so that by the time of the
Roman invasion
The Roman conquest of Britain refers to the conquest of the island of Britain by occupying Roman forces. It began in earnest in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius, and was largely completed in the southern half of Britain by 87 when the Staneg ...
in 43 AD several Roman client kingdoms had become established in the south of Britain. Client kingdoms were annexed when Rome needed to reaffirm their power in Britain or when the client kings could not manage the kingdoms and surrounding areas any more.
These were also partially due to the expansion of the
Catuvellauni
The Catuvellauni (Common Brittonic: *''Catu-wellaunī'', "war-chiefs") were a Celtic tribe or state of southeastern Britain before the Roman conquest, attested by inscriptions into the 4th century.
The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their ...
under
Cunobelinus
Cunobeline (or Cunobelin, from Latin , derived from Common Brittonic ''*Cunobelinos'' "Strong as a Dog", "Strong Dog") was a king in pre-Roman Britain from about AD 9 until about AD 40.Malcolm Todd (2004)"Cunobelinus_ _(d._''c'' ...
in the southeast, and partly as a result of the invasion itself, and included Cogidubnus">ymbeline/nowiki>_(d._''c'' ...
in the southeast, and partly as a result of the invasion itself, and included Cogidubnus of the Regni,
Prasutagus of the Iceni and
Cartimandua of the
Brigantes
The Brigantes were Ancient Britons who in pre-Roman times controlled the largest section of what would become Northern England. Their territory, often referred to as Brigantia, was centred in what was later known as Yorkshire. The Greek geog ...
and, probably, Boduocus of the Dobunni. The antecedents of the Regni, the Atrebates, had (in their Gallic and British forms) been client kingdoms of Rome since Caesar's first invasion in 55 BC.
In the north of Britain, ongoing border struggles across the defensive walls led to the establishment of
buffer state
A buffer state is a country geographically lying between two rival or potentially hostile great powers. Its existence can sometimes be thought to prevent conflict between them. A buffer state is sometimes a mutually agreed upon area lying between t ...
s, including the
Votadini
The Votadini, also known as the ''Uotadini'', ''Wotādīni'', ''Votādīni'', or ''Otadini'' were a Celtic Britons, Brittonic people of the British Iron Age, Iron Age in Great Britain. Their territory was in what is now south-east Scotland and ...
in
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land ...
.
Invasions of Britain and establishment of client kingdoms
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
invaded Britain in 55 BC. and 54 BC. His
initial invasion was unsuccessful, and the
Celtic tribes of Britain
The names of the Celtic Iron Age tribes in Britain were recorded by Roman and Greek historians and geographers, especially Ptolemy. Information from the distribution of Celtic coins has also shed light on the extents of the territories of the var ...
fought with more strength than expected.
In 54 BC the invasion was considered a success but in Caesar's eyes the island yielded little reward and he left without leaving a garrison to watch over his latest conquest.
Client kingdoms were initially established as auxiliary support for the Roman army under
Claudius
Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (; 1 August 10 BC – 13 October AD 54) was the fourth Roman emperor, ruling from AD 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, Claudius was born to Drusus and Antonia Minor ...
in the expanding empire, but were reimagined as the way for Rome to achieve the power status of a unified empire.
Each kingdom had their own systems in place to operate within the Roman model, most notably in relation to trading and defence; and they created a national identity aligned with Roman values.
Evidence exists of rebellion against the empire among client kingdoms like the Catuvellauni and the Iceni tribes.
The relationships between the different client kingdoms and Celtic tribes of the area were always changing as loyalties shifted between the indigenous populations and Roman invaders. The changing political relations with the Roman Empire and their conquest of Britain led to conflicts between tribes like the Atrebates and the Catuvellauni in 40 AD.
There was also recorded conflicts between the Brigantes tribe and the Catuvellauni in 50 AD.
Client kingdoms
Client kingdoms of Southern Britain
Trinovantes and Catuvellauni
Client status: ''54 BC -c.39 AD''
Location: lands in south-East England
In 54 BC,
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, an ...
set up
Mandubracius
Mandubracius or Mandubratius was a king of the Trinovantes of south-eastern Britain in the 1st century BC.
History
Mandubracius was the son of a Trinovantian king, named Imanuentius in some manuscripts of Julius Caesar's ''De Bello Gallico'', ...
of the
Trinovantes as a client king and established the
Catuvellauni
The Catuvellauni (Common Brittonic: *''Catu-wellaunī'', "war-chiefs") were a Celtic tribe or state of southeastern Britain before the Roman conquest, attested by inscriptions into the 4th century.
The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their ...
as a tributary state of Rome.
The centralization of the client kingdoms in southern Britain led to some resemblance of one British society ruled by the Catuvellauni.
Coin evidence suggests that since 10 AD, both areas were ruled by
Cunobelinus
Cunobeline (or Cunobelin, from Latin , derived from Common Brittonic ''*Cunobelinos'' "Strong as a Dog", "Strong Dog") was a king in pre-Roman Britain from about AD 9 until about AD 40.Malcolm Todd (2004)"Cunobelinus_ _(d._''c'' ...
until around 39-40 AD when after his death anti-Roman factions led by his son Caratacus">ymbeline/nowiki>_(d._''c'' ...
until around 39-40 AD when after his death anti-Roman factions led by his son Caratacus had the most power.