Cantiaci Eppillus c.AD 1-15 Bull and Eagle Bronze Unit *Rare*

Cantiaci Eppillus c.AD 1-15 Bull and Eagle Bronze Unit

Butting bull right, EPPIL above, COF below/Spread eagle standing, head right

Rare

ABC411; 15mm, 1.92g

 

Provenance

This coin is from The London Collection of Ancient British Coins. For more information click here: The London Collection – Silbury Coins : Silbury Coins.

Liz’s List 15, no 24. ex William Heard collection VA 451

This coin comes with a previous label.

 

Eppillus AD 1-15

The second Atrebatic ruler to proclaim ‘COM F’ on his coins, Eppillus’ issues can be divided into two broad categories – those produced at the tribal civitas of Calleva (the imaginatively named ‘Calleva types’), and those seemingly struck in Kent (the equally imaginative ‘Kentish types’). On the basis of this, it is highly probable that Eppillus held some kind of influence either over or in Kent – although whether this was economic, territorial or military in nature is uncertain. Coin evidence does a lot of the heavy lifting in informing about his rule, as he is otherwise completely unknown to the historical record. His status as a king, or at least his desire to see himself portrayed as one, is revealed by one of his silver unit types – where the inscription ‘REX CALLE’ prominently appears (ABC 1160/BMC 1016–60). Robert van Arsdell theorised that Eppillus’ disappearance from the record might have arisen as a consequence of Cunobelin’s rise to power, suggesting that he was killed when the Trinovantes and Catavellaunii directed their territorial ambitions southwards into Kent.