Caratacus, Chieftain of the Catuvellauni

Zachary Kay
by William Callis Roffe
published on
Caratacus, Chieftain of the Catuvellauni Download Full Size Image

Caractacus, illustration by William Callis Roffe after the statue by John Henry Foley, 1860.

Roffe's illustration captures Foley's heroic representation of Caratacus (or Caractacus), the Briton chieftain who made war against the invading legions of the Roman emperor Claudius. A betrayal by a neighbouring tribe led to his ultimate capture, and he was brought to the capital to be paraded in Rome's ritual procession, the triumph. A defiant speech in the presence of the emperor won Caratacus and his family clemency, and the chieftain was permitted to live out his days freely in the heart of the empire that had conquered his home.

British Museum, London.

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Cite This Work

APA Style

Roffe, W. C. (2026, April 17). Caratacus, Chieftain of the Catuvellauni. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21747/caratacus-chieftain-of-the-catuvellauni/

Chicago Style

Roffe, William Callis. "Caratacus, Chieftain of the Catuvellauni." World History Encyclopedia, April 17, 2026. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21747/caratacus-chieftain-of-the-catuvellauni/.

MLA Style

Roffe, William Callis. "Caratacus, Chieftain of the Catuvellauni." World History Encyclopedia, 17 Apr 2026, https://www.worldhistory.org/image/21747/caratacus-chieftain-of-the-catuvellauni/.

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