How many Togidubni are Needed to conquer Britain?

Abstract

The paper deals with one of the most significant figures in the history of early Roman Britain — Tiberius Claudius Togidubnus. The author considers evidence of sources and some hypotheses made by modern scholars and comes to conclusion that Togidubnus mentioned by Tacitus and in the inscription from Noviomagus shouldn’t be identified with Togodumnus from Dio’s narrative. Tiberius Claudius Togidubnus was a member of ‘southern’ dynasty and initially was loyal to Rome. This loyalty and some assistance were rewarded by expan sion of Togidubnus’s realm. Togidubnus used this reward well — several ambitious architectural projects had begun, the kingdom had turned to be attractive for craftsmen and merchants from the continent. But the main consequence of the Togidubnus policy was ‘cultural conquest’ of southern Britain — Britons became used to Roman way of life. Without Togidubnus and his activity the creation of Roman province would require much more force from Rome.