The earliest native coinage of Britain belongs to the Iron Age, and dates from 200 to 150 B.C. Sir John Evans has collected together all the known facts relating to the numismatics of this period in his _Coins of the Ancient Britons_, and gives excellent maps showing the geographical distribution of the finds. Prof. John Rhys, in his _Celtic Britain_ (p. 19), says:— “The coinage of Britain had been modelled in the first instance after that of Gaul, which, in its turn, can be traced to the Phocæan Greeks of Massilia or Marseilles, through whom the continental Gauls became acquainted in the latter part of the fourth century before Christ with the gold stater of Philip II. of Macedon. This was a fine coin, weighing 133 grains, and having on one side the head of Apollo wreathed with laurel, while the other showed a charioteer in a biga, with Philip’s name underneath. It was imitated by the Gauls fairly well at first, but as it got further removed from the original in time and place, the figures degenerated into very curious and fantastic forms.” Before the landing of Julius Cæsar in Britain in 55 B.C. the Cantii, the Dutoriges, the Catuvelauni, and the Trinovantes each had coinages of their own, but entirely devoid of lettering. The lettered coins begin with those of Commios, dating from a period some time before 30 B.C., after which come those of his three sons—Tincommios, Verica, and Eppillos. Prof. J. Rhys[157] says:— “The coins of Commios, and some of the earlier ones of Tincommios, continued the degenerate imitations of the Macedonian stater without showing any Roman influence; but it was not long after Augustus became emperor, in the year 30, that Tincommios copied the Latin formula, in which the former styled himself _Augustus Divi Filius_, or the son of his adoptive father, Julius Cæsar, who had now got to be officially called _Divus_, or the god. So Tincommios had inscribed on his money the legend _Tinc. Commi F._, or even shorter abbreviations, meaning Tincommios son of Commios; and the grotesque traits derived from the stater soon disappear in favour of classical designs of various kinds, proving very distinctly that the influence of Roman art was beginning to make itself felt in the south of Britain.” The coins which have been assigned to the Dobunni (although their exact date, place of issue, and sequence are somewhat doubtful) belong to the series of the Macedonian stater, and show hardly any trace of Roman influence. Their probable date[158] seems to be between A.D. 1 and 41. [157] _Celtic Britain_, p. 25. [158] _Ibid._, p. 35.