Venutius was a 1st century king of the Brigantes in northern Britain at the time of the Roman conquest. Some have suggested he may have belonged to the Carvetii, a tribe which probably formed part of the Brigantes confederation.

History first becomes aware of him as husband of Cartimandua, queen of the Brigantes, in about 51 AD. After the British resistance leader Caratacus was defeated by Publius Ostorius Scapula in Wales, he fled north to the Brigantes, only to be handed over to the Romans by Cartimandua. Nominally an independent kingdom, Tacitus says Cartimandua and Venutius were loyal to Rome and "defended by Roman power".

However, after the capture of Caratacus, Venutius became the most prominent leader of resistance to the Roman occupation. Cartimandua had apparently tired of him and married his armour-bearer, Vellocatus, who she elevated to the kingship in Venutius's place. Initially Venutius only sought to overthrow his ex-wife, only later turning his attention to her Roman protectors. The Romans defended their client queen, and Venutius's revolt was defeated by Caesius Nasica during the governorship of Aulus Didius Gallus (52 to 57 AD).

Taking advantage of Roman instability during the year of four emperors, Venutius revolted again in 69 AD. Cartimandua appealed for troops from the Romans, who were only able to send auxiliaries. Cartimandua was evacuated and Venutius took the kingdom.

This second revolt may have had wider repercussions: Tacitus says that Vespasian, once emperor, had to "recover" Britain. He also says, introducing the events of the year of four emperors, that Britain was abandoned having only just been subdued (although some think this is in reference to the consolidation of Agricola's later conquests in Scotland).

It is likely that Venutius was defeated, and the Brigantes conquered, during the governorship of Quintus Petillius Cerialis (71 to 74 AD). Certainly Agricola (governor 78 to 84 AD) was able to march through Brigantian territory without difficulty on the way to his Scottish conquests.

Sources

• Tacitus, Annals
• Tacitus, Histories
• Tacitus, Agricola

External links

• Works of Tacitus (http://www.chieftainsys.freeserve.co.uk/tacitus.htm)
• Brigantes Nation (http://www.brigantesnation.com/)