Commius

Commius (Commios, Comius, Comnios) was a king of the Belgic tribe of the Atrebates, initially in Gaul, then in Britain, in the 1st century BC. During the Roman conquest of Gaul (58–50 BC), Commius was placed in power by Julius Caesar during his conquest of the Belgae in 57 BC and he would be an ally of Caesar, assisting him during his expeditions to Britain and against the Gallic revolts of 54 BC. In 53 BC, Commius defected to the revolting Gauls and in 52 BC, he would be elected one of the commanders to lead the pan-Gallic force dispatched to relieve Vercingetorix at the Siege of Alesia. After the defeat of Vercingetorix, Commius continued to resist the Romans until he agreed to peace in 51 BC. Some time later, he would travel to Britain and become king of the Atrebates there by about 30 BC.

Commius (Commios, Comius, Comnios) was a king of the Belgic tribe of the Atrebates, initially in Gaul, then in Britain, in the 1st century BC. During the Roman conquest of Gaul (58–50 BC), Commius was placed in power by Julius Caesar during his conquest of the Belgae in 57 BC and he would be an ally of Caesar, assisting him during his expeditions to Britain and against the Gallic revolts of 54 BC. In 53 BC, Commius defected to the revolting Gauls and in 52 BC, he would be elected one of the commanders to lead the pan-Gallic force dispatched to relieve Vercingetorix at the Siege of Alesia. After the defeat of Vercingetorix, Commius continued to resist the Romans until he agreed to peace in 51 BC. Some time later, he would travel to Britain and become king of the Atrebates there by about 30 BC. ==King in Britain== (c. 50 BC). This jewellery might have been a diplomatic gift to a Chieftain ruling in southern Britain, possibly related to Commius of the Atrebates.]] By about 30 BC Commius had established himself as king of the Atrebates in Britain, and was issuing coins from Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester). It is possible that Commius and his followers founded this kingdom, although the fact that, when Caesar was unable to bring his cavalry to Britain in 55 BC, Commius was able to provide a small detachment of horsemen from his people, suggests that there were already Atrebates in Britain at this time. Coins marked with his name continued to be issued until about 20 BC, and some have suggested, based on the length of his floruit, that there may have been two kings, father and son, of the same name. However, if Commius was a young man when appointed by Caesar he could very well have lived until 20 BC. Some coins of this period are stamped "COM COMMIOS", which, if interpreted as "Commius son of Commius", would seem to support the two kings theory. Three later kings, Tincomarus, Eppillus and Verica, are named on their coins as sons of Commius. From about 25 BC Commius appears to have ruled in collaboration with Tincomarus. After his death Tincomarus appears to have ruled the northern part of the kingdom from Calleva, while Eppillus ruled the southern part from Noviomagus (Chichester). Eppillus became sole ruler ca. AD 7. Verica succeeded him about 15, and ruled until shortly before the Roman conquest of 43. ==Popular culture and fiction== French Nobel laureate Anatole France wrote a lengthy short story about the Romanization of Belgic Gaul from the point of view of Commius, whose name he recasts in Germanic form as Komm. The story, "Komm of the Atrebates," appears in France's historical fiction collection Clio and can be read in English translation online. Commius appeared in the 2001 French movie Vercingétorix. Caesar (Masters of Rome #5) by Colleen McCullough. A minor character in the series but portrayed accurately to history within a historical fiction novel. ==References==

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