Verlamion
Verlamion, or Verlamio, was a settlement in Iron [Age Britain]. It was a major centre of the Catuvellauni tribe from about 20 BC until shortly after the Roman invasion of AD 43. It is associated with a particular king, Tasciovanus.
Its location was on Prae Hill, 2 km to the west of modern St Albans.
Etymology
The etymology is uncertain: perhaps the name means "settlement above the marsh", or " Uerulamos " in Brittonic. The elements *wer- and *lamā- meant "high" and "hand" respectively in Common Brittonic. An alternative etymology may be guessed via back construction from modern Welsh, as bank of the Ver, where Ver could mean short, or be a contracted form of Veru, or Berw, meaning a foaming or bubbling river.Iron Age
It is believed that the tribal capital was moved to the site by Tasciovanus. The location of the previous capital is not certain, but it is possible to speculate on the basis of documentary evidence and archaeological evidence for Iron Age sites in the area. One possible site was favoured by Sir Mortimer Wheeler,a feature called the Devil's Dyke a few miles to the north near Wheathampstead, which has been interpreted as part of the defences of a large oppidum bordering the River Lea.
Tasciovanus was the first king to mint coins at Verlamion, beginning around 10 BC. There is evidence that the oppidum may have had a significant ritual function.