Editing Caratacus (section)

===Claudian invasion===
Caratacus is named by [[Dio Cassius]] as a son of the Catuvellaunian king [[Cunobelinus]].<ref>[[Dio Cassius]], trans Earnest Cary, ''Roman History'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/60*.html#19 60:19–22]</ref>  Based on [[coin]] distribution Caratacus appears to have been the protégé of his uncle [[Epaticcus]], who expanded Catuvellaunian power westwards most likely from his palace in Verulam, the heartland of the Catuvellauni, into the territory of the [[Atrebates]].<ref>John Creighton, ''Coins and power in Late Iron Age Britain'', Cambridge University Press, 2000; [[Philip de Jersey]] (1996), ''Celtic Coinage in Britain'', Shire Archaeology</ref> After Epaticcus died in about AD&nbsp;35, the Atrebates, under [[Verica]], regained some of their territory, but it appears Caratacus completely conquered the Atrebates, since Dio tells us Verica was ousted, fled to [[Ancient Rome|Rome]] and appealed to the [[Roman Emperor|emperor]] [[Claudius]] for help. This was the excuse used by Claudius to launch his [[Roman conquest of Britain|invasion of Britain]] in the summer of 43. 

The invasion targeted Caratacus' stronghold of [[Camulodunon]] (modern [[Colchester]]), previously the seat of his father Cunobelinus.<ref name="Crummy 19972">Crummy, Philip (1997) City of Victory; the story of Colchester – Britain's first Roman town. Published by Colchester Archaeological Trust ({{ISBN|1897719043}})</ref><ref>Todd, Malcolm. (1981) Roman Britain; 55BC – 400AD. Published by Fontana Paperbacks ({{ISBN|0006337562}})</ref> Cunobelinus had died some time before the invasion. Caratacus and his brother [[Togodumnus]] led the initial defence of the country against [[Aulus Plautius]]'s four [[Roman legion|legions]], thought to have been around 40,000 men, primarily using [[Guerrilla warfare|guerrilla]] tactics.'''<ref>Jorit Wintjes (2020) 'On the side of a righteous vengeance' – Counterinsurgency operations in Roman Britain, Small Wars & Insurgencies, 31:5, 1108–1129, DOI: 10.1080/09592318.2020.1764715</ref>''' They lost much of the south-east after being defeated in two crucial battles, the [[Battle of the Medway|Battle of the River Medway]] and [[River Thames]]. 

Dio reports that Togodumnus was killed (although both [[Miles Russell]] and John Hind argue that Dio was mistaken in reporting Togodumnus' death, that he was defeated but survived and was later appointed by the Romans as a friendly king over a number of territories, becoming the loyal king referred to by Tacitus as Cogidubnus or [[Togidubnus]])<ref>Russell, Miles. (2006) Roman Sussex, pp. 33-43. Published by Tempus ({{ISBN|0752436015}})</ref><ref>J. G. F. Hind, "A. Plautius' Campaign in Britain: An Alternative Reading of the Narrative in Cassius Dio (60.19.5–21.2)", ''[[Britannia (journal)|Britannia]]'' Vol. 38 (2007), pp. 93–106)</ref> and the Romans conquered the Catuvellaunian territories. Their stronghold of Camulodunon was converted into the first Roman [[Colonia (Roman)|colonia]] in Britain, [[Colonia Victricensis]].<ref name="Crummy 19972" /><ref>Crummy, Philip (1992) Colchester Archaeological Report 6: Excavations at Culver Street, the Gilberd School, and other sites in Colchester 1971–85. Published by Colchester Archaeological Trust ({{ISBN|0-9503727-9-X}})</ref><ref>Crummy, Philip (1984) Colchester Archaeological Report 3: Excavations at Lion Walk, Balkerne Lane, and Middleborough, Colchester, Essex. Published by Colchester Archaeological Trust ({{ISBN|0-9503727-4-9}})</ref>