Celtic Atrebates Tribe Epaticcus Silver Unit, AD 35-43

Description

Denomination: Silver unit

Period: Celts prior to Roman occupation

Date: AD 35-43

Origin: Silchester or Chichester 

Condition: Near VF. small chip to top

Obverse: Head of (?) Hercules wearing a lionskin. right. EPATI to right. pellet in annulet to left

Reverse: Eagle standing on snake. facing with head turned to left. with wings outstretched; pellet in annulet above

Size and Weight: 11mm. 0.94g

References: ABC 1346. Spink 356

Features and Provenance: Epaticcus’s coins circulated a decade or so before the Roman invasion in AD 43 but the coin does show strong Roman influences with the eagle; also Greek connections with the possible image of Hercules. Depending on when these coin were described. they have been attributed to the Catuvellauni  or the Atrebates. the truth lies somewhere between. Epaticcus was a prince of the Catuvellauni. but it appears that he captured some ground from the Atrebates and ruled over it on behalf of his brother. Cunobelinus. king of the Catuvellauni. As the Epaticcus eagle coins are found south of the Thames they are generally classed as Atrebatic. probably minted at Silchester or possibly Chichester. 

Condition Summary. This varies with the age of coin and there are grades between

Uncirculated (U). As struck with no traces of wear

Extremely Fine (EF). Very slight traces of wear. all parts of legend etc present. visible and clear

Very Fine (VF). Some signs of wear on the higher parts of the relief. all parts of legend etc present. but maybe worn

Fine (F). Wear on the coin and parts of legend etc may be missing or not visible