Stage 15

Question 1

Who was Cogidubnus?

Answer 1

King of theRegnenses also known as the great king of the Britons.

Question 2

Who ordered the production of the dedication stone of a temple found on the Sussex Coast near Chichester?

Answer 2

King Cognidubnus

Question 3

Who was the inscription stone dedicated to ?

Answer 3

Neptune and Minerva

Question 4

What was Neptune the God of?

Answer 4

Neptune was the god of the sea.

Question 5

What was Minerva goddess of?

Answer 5

Minerva was goddess of wisdom and craftsmanship.

Question 6

Comment on the lettering on the inscription stone?

Answer 6

Elegant lettering. Carved in the style of the first century AD
Suggested the work of Roman craftsmen

Question 7

Who paid for the inscription stone?

Answer 7

Local collegium or guild of smiths

Question 8

What are Roman inscription stones similar to today?

Answer 8

A bit like foundation stones which are laid nowadays when an important public building is being built.

Question 9

What information do foundation stones normally state?

Answer 9

They state the name of the person or group of people who gave the land and paid for the building.

Question 10

How does the information on the inscription stone compare to modern day foundation stones?

Answer 10

Very similar:
Stated that King Cogidubnus requested the building of the temple.

Stated that it was in honour of Neptune and Minerva.

Stated that it was paid for by the local collegium or guild of smiths.

Question 11

In what language was the stone inscribed?

Answer 11

Latin

Question 12

Was the inscription stone intact when it was found in Sussex?

Answer 12

No it was broken although most of the pieces were located.

Question 13

What use was the inscription stone in building a picture of King Cogidubnus?

Answer 13

The inscription helped us to reconstruct part of Cogidubnus’ life story.

Question 14

Which tribe did Cogidubnus rule when the Romans invaded Britain?

Answer 14

thé Âtrebates Tribe

Question 15

After the Roman invasion in AD43, what did the Romans do to Cogidubnus?

Answer 15

Made him King Cogidubnus. King of his tribe.

Question 16

The name of Cogidubnus’ tribe was changed from Artebates to what when the Romans made Cogidubnus king?

Answer 16

The tribes’ name was changed to Regnenses

Question 17

Did king Cogidubnus support the Romans?

Answer 17

Yes, he was a faithful supporter.

Question 18

Who gave King Cogidubnus the title of King?

Answer 18

Emperor Claudius

Question 19

Why do you think Emperpr Claudius gave Cogidubnus the title of King?

Answer 19

To reward him for helping the Romans during the invasion.

Question 20

As well as the title of king what other accolades did Emperor Claudius bestow of Cogidubnus?

Answer 20

1. He was granted Roman citizenship.

2. He was allowed to insert two of Emperor Claudius’ names in his own.

Question 21

What were the two names that Claudius added to his own names once he became king?

Answer 21

Tiberius Claudius

Question 22

Cogidubnus became a client king. What did this mean?

Answer 22

Being a client king meant that he ruled on behalf of the emperor and that he was responsible for collecting the taxes and keeping the peace in his part of Britain.

Question 23

Why was the role was Cogidubnus important to the Romans?

Answer 23

1. He kept the Southern régions loyal to Rome.

2. Allowed the Roman legions to advance northwards to conquer the tribes there

Question 24

Why do you think Cogidubnus dedicated the temple to Neptune and Minerva rather than to British gods which would have been more relevant?

Answer 24

By dedicating the new temple to Neptune and Minerva rather than British gods, Cogidubnus publicly declared his loyalty to Rome.

Question 25

What was rather temple a reminder of?

Answer 25

The temple was a reminder of Roman power.

Question 26

Where were the priests in the temple selected from?

Answer 26

They are likely to have been selected from local British chieftains.

Question 27

Did the local British chieftains who ran the temple support the Romans?

Answer 27

Yes. They were quick to see the advantages of supporting the new government.

Question 28

The inscription on the stone goes on to say that the temple was intended ‘for the welfare of the Divine House’. What does this suggest?

Answer 28

By saying this Cogidubnus is suggesting that the emperor himself is related to the gods and should be worshipped as such.

Question 29

Why did the Romans encourage people to think the emperor was related to the gods?

Answer 29

The Romans encouraged people of their empire to respect and worship the emperor in this way because it helped to ensure obedience and to build up a sense of unity in a large empire that contained many differences

Question 30

What differences were present in the empire?

Answer 30

The large empire in Britain contained many tribes, many languages and many religions

Question 31

The Regenses tribe under Cogidubnus did not only receive a king, what else did they get?

Answer 31

A new capital town near Chichester called Noviomagnus.

Question 32

What was Fishbourne in Roman times?

Answer 32

Modern village three miles from Novimagnus. Site of a large Roman building which was excavated about 50 years ago.

Question 33

Following the excavation of Fishbourne, what did they discover?

Answer 33

They discovered a place as large and splendid as the fashionable houses in Rome itself.

Question 34

Why do historians think the palace belonged to Cogidubnus?

Answer 34

1. It was so large and grand with room after room and a very large courtyard. 2. So near to Noviomagnus that it would be unlikely to belong to anyone else.

Question 35

The palace was not the first building on the Fishbourne site. What are there before?

Answer 35

Earlier wooden building were there as the archaeologists found pieces of them.

Question 36

Why do we not actually know who lived in Fishbourne palace?

Answer 36

There was no inscription stone found there.

Question 37

What are the wooden building found by the archaeologists thought to be from?

Answer 37

One of the buildings was thought to be a granary.

Question 38

Pièces of metal and a helmet were found near the Fishbourne site. What do historians think this indicates?

Answer 38

The presence of soldiers

Question 39

Which soldiers do historians think were present there?

Answer 39

Soldiers of the second legion commanded by Vespasian.

Question 40

Why do historians think that Fishbourne was used as a military port and depot where Vespasian assembled his troops.

Answer 40

Because there was a port where Roman ships ride up and off loaded their cargo.

Question 41

In what year did Vespasian himself become an emperor?

Answer 41

AD 69

Question 42

A few years after Vespasian became an emperor the wooden shacks on Fishbourne were removed and the elaborate place was built. Why do historians think the Vespasianbuilt the palace for cogidubnus?

Answer 42

Perhaps Vespasian was remembering the loyalty of Cogidubnus and was now presenting him with the palace in return for his continued support of the Romans.