Historical Context

Tasciovanus was a paramount dynast presiding over the North Thames basin during the late pre-Roman Iron Age. Completely unrecorded in Greco-Roman literary histories—including the contemporary accounts of Julius Caesar, Strabo, Suetonius, and Cassius Dio—his historical reality, territorial hegemony, and lineage are reconstructed entirely through numismatic finds and patronymic coin legends struck by his sons, most prominently Cunobelinus and Epaticcus.

Operating predominantly from the major oppidum of Verulamium, situated in modern Hertfordshire, Tasciovanus was the first ruler of the Catuvellaunian territory to systematically incorporate his personal name and mint signatures into his coin dies. Silver and bronze fractions regularly identify Verulamium through legends such as VER, VERL, or VERLAMIO. In addition, an episodic displacement of the neighboring Trinovantian ruler Addedomaros is attested by scarce issues inscribed with the mint signature CAM or CAMVL, demonstrating transient control over Camulodunum prior to the permanent consolidation of the realm under Cunobelinus.

The gold staters issued across his reign chart a profound artistic and technical transformation. Early issues retain the stylized, curvilinear abstraction characteristic of earlier British and Gallo-Belgic coinages derived ultimately from the 4th-century BCE gold staters of Philip II of Macedon. Later issues progressively adopt Roman classical epigraphy, naturalistic equine modeling, and martial iconography, reflecting increasing socio-political interaction with the Augustan Roman Empire.

Obverse Iconographic Composition

The obverse compositions of Tasciovanus's gold staters divide into two principal artistic traditions corresponding to the early and late phases of his reign:

First Coinage: Crossed-Wreaths Type

The earliest stater series features an intricate cruciform composition descended from the devolving wreath of the Macedonian Apollo prototype. Two double-corded wreaths cross the flan at right angles, with the vertical wreath displaying a pronounced outward curve while the horizontal wreath forms a straight transverse band. At their central intersection, two bold crescents sit back-to-back, enclosing four pellet-in-annulet motifs. The four quadrants formed by the crossed bands are filled with symmetrical configurations of curved tendrils, pellets, and annulets.

Third Coinage: Tablet Type

The later stater series departs entirely from the curvilinear cruciform pattern in favor of an architectonic and epigraphic layout influenced by classical conventions. A framed horizontal tablet or cartouche spans the center of the flan, divided into two distinct horizontal registers that enclose the ruler's name and royal title. Positioned vertically behind this tablet is a stylized open wreath or corn-ear motif consisting of a central stem flanked by delicate pellets. Outward-radiating diagonal rays emanate from the central register toward the outer beaded border.

Obverse Epigraphy and Inscriptions

The presence and structure of obverse legends depend directly on the typological series:

First Coinage

The obverse dies of the crossed-wreaths series are entirely aniconic and uninscribed. Epigraphic identification on this series is confined to the reverse.

Third Coinage

On the tablet series, the obverse bears a prominent two-line inscription executed in formal Latin capital lettering:

  • Script: Latin capital alphabet.
  • Language: Brittonic (Insular Celtic).
  • Upper Register: Inscribed TASCIOV, with documented die abbreviations including TASCIO and TASCI.
  • Lower Register: Inscribed RICON or RICON·, with stylistic variants reading RIGON.
  • Transliteration: TASCIOV / RICON·
  • Linguistic Form: Reconstructed in Brittonic philology as the nominative singular Tasciovanos Rigonos.
  • English Translation: "Tasciovanus, Great King" or "Tasciovanus, Royal Sovereign".

Comparative specimens in institutional holdings illustrate this epigraphy, including Cleveland Museum of Art specimen 1969.151 (reading TASCIOV / RICON) and British Museum specimen 1919,0213.318.

Reverse Iconographic Composition

The reverse designs transition from symbolic, pastoral motifs to explicit displays of aristocratic martial power:

First Coinage: Horse and Bucranium

The reverse portrays a lively horse prancing or bounding toward the right. The animal exhibits distinctive Celtic stylistic treatments, including a mane articulated by segmented pellets or ridges and an elongated, curving tail. Floating above the horse's back is a stylized bucranium—a frontal ox skull rendered with a triangular head and sweeping horns. Adjacent to or directly above the bucranium rests a ringed pellet, solar rosette, or anemone motif, while a curved hook-shaped ornament or frond appears below the horse's belly. Comparative physical parameters from museum holdings include Cleveland Museum of Art specimen 1969.150 (5.54 g, 1.7 cm) and British Museum specimen 1851,0402.1.

Third Coinage: Armoured Horseman

The reverse breaks from earlier animal imagery to showcase an elite Celtic cavalryman galloping toward the left. The rider sits astride a muscular, proportionally naturalistic mount, wearing a peaked helmet and a fitted cuirass rendered in delicate pelleting. In his raised right hand, the horseman brandishes a weapon, while his extended left arm holds an elongated Celtic oval war-shield equipped with an articulated central spine trailing along the mount's flank. Below the horse appears an exergual ornament, typically a pellet-in-annulet or beaded ring. Comparative examples include Cleveland Museum of Art specimen 1969.151 (5.49 g, 1.7 cm) and British Museum specimen 1919,0213.318.

Reverse Epigraphy and Inscriptions

The placement of reverse inscriptions is inversely arranged relative to the obverse across the different coinages:

First Coinage

  • Script: Latin capital lettering.
  • Language: Brittonic.
  • Legend: Transcribed as TASCIAVAN, TASCAVAN, or TASCIAVA, running clockwise along the upper flan perimeter above the horse and bucranium.
  • Flan Execution: Because the reverse dies were frequently larger than the cast gold flans, many surviving specimens exhibit perimeter truncation where the legend is partly or entirely off the flan. For example, comparative specimen Cleveland Museum of Art 1969.150 was struck sufficiently off-center that the sovereign's name does not appear on the preserved metal.

Third Coinage

The reverse field of the equestrian series is completely uninscribed. The entire epigraphic statement of royal identity and status was transferred to the obverse tablet, leaving the reverse field clear for the martial cavalry composition.

Typology and Documented Variants

Tasciovanus's gold coinage is traditionally organized into three sequential typological series:

First Coinage: Crossed Wreaths / Bucranium (c. 25–20 BCE)

  • Class 1a (ABC 2550): Obverse crossed wreaths featuring terminal pellets on the central interlocking arcs; reverse inscribed TAXCIAVAN above the bucranium.
  • Class 1b (ABC 2553 / VA 1680 / Mack 149): Central arcs lack terminal pellets; reverse legend reads TASCIAVAN. Variants within this class are distinguished by the relative curvature of the wreath bands and the presence of teardrop-shaped pellets adjacent to the bucranium.

Second Coinage: "Warrior" with Carnyx (c. 20–15 BCE)

  • Carnyx Stater (ABC 2571 / VA 1730 / Mack 154): The obverse preserves the traditional crossed-wreath motif, while the reverse introduces an equestrian figure riding right, brandishing an iconic Celtic carnyx (vertical war horn), with a four-spoked wheel ornament situated below.

Third Coinage: Inscribed Tablet / Cavalryman Left (c. 15–10 BCE or c. 10 BCE – 10 CE)

  • Class 7a (ABC 2577 / VA 1780-1): Obverse tablet inscribed TASCIOV in the upper register and RIGON in the lower register.
  • Class 7b (ABC 2580 / VA 1780-5 / Mack 184): Obverse tablet reading TASCIOV or TASCIO over RICON or RICON· (exemplified by comparative specimen CMA 1969.151).
  • Class 7c (VA 1780-9): Abbreviated obverse legend reading TASCI over RICON. Reverse dies exhibit minor decorative variations, including an isolated annulet, a rosette of pellets, or an unadorned field forward of the horse.

Scholarly Debates and Attribution Limitations

Several aspects of the Tasciovanus gold series remain subjects of active numismatic discussion and differing scholarly interpretation:

Philological Interpretation of RICON / RIGON

Early antiquarian scholarship, notably Sir John Evans, debated whether RICON represented an unrecorded geographic mint site (such as Rigodunum) or a subordinate co-ruler. Contemporary Celtic linguistics and numismatic studies identify the word as an inflected Brittonic royal title derived from Proto-Celtic rīgonos, meaning "great king" or "supreme sovereign". A major historical question remains why Tasciovanus chose a native Brittonic title, whereas his southern contemporaries Tincomarus and Verica, as well as his successor Cunobelinus, adopted the Latin title REX.

The "Hidden Faces" Hypothesis

Numismatic commentators have argued that the curvilinear tendrils, opposed central crescents, and pellet arrangements on First Coinage obverses were intentionally designed as optical illusions to form anthropomorphic faces reflecting Celtic religious concepts. Conversely, other typologists view these shapes as the mechanical outcome of long-term stylistic devolution, in which successive generations of die cutters abstracted the Hellenistic hair and laurel wreath of Apollo into purely geometric foliate forms.

Cuirass and Weaponry of the Equestrian Figure

The pelleted texture covering the rider's torso on Third Coinage reverses has been widely interpreted as an explicit rendering of Celtic iron mail armour (lorica hamata). If correct, this provides rare visual documentation for mail cuirasses among elite Britons before the Claudian invasion. However, alternative interpretations emphasize that the pelleting might represent studded leather, quilted linen padding, or patterned textiles. Similarly, the weapon brandished in the horseman's right hand has been variably identified as a broad short sword or a short javelin.

Fluidity of Iron Age Political Boundaries

While earlier historiography treated the Catuvellauni and Trinovantes as rigid tribal nation-states, modern landscape archaeology indicates that late Iron Age polities were shifting confederacies governed by personal clientage. Consequently, regional catalogues increasingly classify these issues under broad geographic designations such as "North Thames" rather than monolithic tribal boundaries.

References

  1. Cleveland Museum of Art. Accession 1969.150: Tasciovanus Stater: Crossed Wreaths (obverse); Horse and Bucranium (Head of Ox) (reverse). Collection database record, Gift of Mrs. Emery May Holden Norweb (weight: 5.54 g, diameter: 1.7 cm)
  2. Cleveland Museum of Art. Accession 1969.151: Tasciovanus Stater: Wreath (obverse); Horse and Armed Rider (reverse). Collection database record, Gift of Mrs. Emery May Holden Norweb (weight: 5.49 g, diameter: 1.7 cm)
  3. British Museum. Accession 1851,0402.1: Gold stater of Tasciovanus. Collection database record (crossed wreaths and prancing horse with bucranium above)
  4. British Museum. Accession 1919,0213.315: Copper alloy unit. Collection database record (eagle and concentric quadrilaterals; checked to confirm non-gold status)
  5. British Museum. Accession 1919,0213.316: Gold stater of Tasciovanus. Collection database record (TASCIOV RIGON issue, Epping provenance)
  6. British Museum. Accession 1919,0213.318: Gold stater of Tasciovanus. Collection database record (RICON stater, St Ives provenance)
  7. Evans, John (1864). The Coins of the Ancient Britons. London: J. Russell Smith. pp. 220–225, 228–234, 269–272; Plates V, 8 and VIII, 6–9
  8. Portable Antiquities Scheme Database Record BH-602FE1. Record BH-602FE1 (Class 7a TASCIOV RIGON gold stater)