Arviragus

Family: Britons · Role: prince · First appears: Book IV 9–12

When Kymbelinus had governed Britain for ten years, he begat Guiderius, the elder, and Arviragus, “the other Arviragus.” After Guiderius was killed, Arviragus put on his brother’s habiliments and assumed command. He pursued Hamo to the coast at Southampton and killed him as Hamo attempted to board merchant-ships: “forthwith killed him.”

Arviragus opposed Claudius, besieging the city where he was beset and marching out to battle, but he eventually accepted Claudius’s terms and submitted Britain to Roman authority. After the winter, he married Genuissa, Claudius’s daughter, and she gained great influence over him; when Claudius returned to Rome, Arviragus was left governing the British islands. He later battled Vespasian at Kaerpenhuelgoit, but Genuissa mediated between them, and “The next morning, by the mediation of queen Genuissa, the two leaders were made friends.” Juvenal is also connected with Arviragus through an account of a blind man’s remark about a turbot.

Arviragus died at the end of his life and was buried in a temple at Gloucester.

Relationship record

Life events

• Kymbelinus begat two sons, Guiderius and Arviragus.(Book IV 9–12)
  • With: Kymbelinus Guiderius
  • “Kymbelinus, when he had governed Britain ten years, begat two sons, the elder named Guiderius, the other Arviragus.”
• Arviragus adopted Guiderius's appearance and assumed command after his brother's death.(Book IV 13–16)
  • With: Guiderius
  • “But Arviragus, his brother, seeing him killed, forthwith put off his own and put on his brother's habiliments”
• Arviragus overtook and killed Hamo while he attempted to board merchant-ships.(Book IV 13–16 · 📍 Southampton)
  • With: Hamo
  • “Arviragus came upon him unawares, and forthwith killed him.”
• Arviragus accepted Claudius's terms and submitted Britain to Roman authority.(Book IV 13–16)
  • With: Claudius
  • “By these and many other arguments he was prevailed upon to hearken to their advice, and make his submission to Caesar.”
• Arviragus married Genuissa, Claudius's daughter.(Book IV 13–16)
  • With: Genuissa
  • “After her marriage with the king, she gained so great an ascendant over his affections”
• Claudius returned to Rome, leaving Arviragus governing the British islands.(Book IV 13–16 · 📍 British islands)
  • With: Claudius
  • “Claudius returned to Rome, leaving to Arviragus the government of the British islands.”
• Genuissa mediated peace between Arviragus and Vespasian after their indecisive battle.(Book IV 13–16 · 📍 Kaerpenhuelgoit)
  • With: Genuissa Vespasian
  • “The next morning, by the mediation of queen Genuissa, the two leaders were made friends”
• Arviragus died and was buried in a temple at Gloucester.(Book IV 13–16 · 📍 Gloucester)
  • “When he had finished his course of life, he was buried at Gloucester”

Book IV 9–12

• parent: Kymbelinus “Kymbelinus, when he had governed Britain ten years, begat two sons, the elder named Guiderius, the other Arviragus.”
• siblings with Guiderius “Kymbelinus, when he had governed Britain ten years, begat two sons, the elder named Guiderius, the other Arviragus.”

Book IV 13–16

• siblings with Guiderius “But Arviragus, his brother, seeing him killed, forthwith put off his own and put on his brother's habiliments”
• enemies with Hamo “Arviragus came upon him unawares, and forthwith killed him.”
• enemies with Claudius “Afterwards he besieged that city, and employed a variety of engines against it. Arviragus, seeing himself in these straits, called his troops together, and opened the gates, to march out and give him battle.”
• sworn: Claudius “promised to give him his daughter, if he would only acknowledge the kingdom of Britain subject to the Roman state”
• married with Genuissa “After her marriage with the king, she gained so great an ascendant over his affections, that he in a manner valued nothing but her alone”
• enemies with Vespasian “As soon as he was landed, he marched directly to besiege Kaerpenhuelgoit, now Exeter; and after lying before it seven days, was overtaken by Arviragus and his army, who gave him battle.”
• friends with Vespasian “The next morning, by the mediation of queen Genuissa, the two leaders were made friends”
• with Hamo (Arviragus killed Hamo.) “Arviragus, therefore, thinking that Claudius fled along with him, pursued him with all speed, and did not leave off harassing him from place to place, till he overtook him upon a part of the sea-coast, which, from the name of Hamo, is now called Southampton. There was at the same place a convenient haven for ships, and some merchant-ships at anchor. And just as Hamo was attempting to get on board them, Arviragus came upon him unawares, and forthwith killed him.”
• with Juvenal (Juvenal relates a verse mentioning Arviragus.) “Hence Juvenal relates how a certain blind man, speaking of a turbot that was taken, said:-- ”

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Extracted from the original text of The History of the Kings of Britain. Made with Rho MD.