RIB 258. Funerary inscription for Titus Valerius Pudens

https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/258

Support

Type of object: Tombstone
Material: Limestone
Dimensions: W 0.66 × H 1.499 m
Site: Lincoln (Lindum)
Find context: Under no. 2, Monson Street, on its north side, 37 m. east of High Street. The stone was broken and had been thrown into a cavity below the original natural surface.
Find date: 1849
Modern location: Now in the British Museum.
Institution/acc. #: British Museum: 1853,1108.1

Text field

Style of lettering: In capital letters.
Letter heights: (not specified)

Text

Origin of text: Lincoln
Ancient site: Lindum
Text type: Epitaph
Date: (no indication)

T(itus) Valerius T(iti) f(ilius)
Cla(udia)(tribu) Pudens Sav(aria)
mil(es) leg(ionis) II A(diutricis) P(iae) F(idelis)
(centuria) Dossenni
Proculi a(nnorum) XXX
aera [V]I h(eres) d(e) s(uo) p(osuit)
h(ic) s(itus) e(st)

Apparatus

6. afra·i, Franks; aervm ii, Trollope; aer·x . . .· h ·, Hueb.; aera[. .]h, F.H. Lincoln MS.; aera [v]i·h, , since aera refers to his service in the legion and the stone comes from Lincoln, the missing numeral is presumably [v]i; this would give the year a.d. 76 as the date of death, [x]i would imply the year 81, by which time this legion had moved to Chester R.P.W.

Translation

Titus Valerius Pudens, son of Titus, of the Claudian voting-tribe, from Savaria, a soldier of the Second Legion Adjutrix Pia Fidelis, in the century of Dossennius Proculus, aged 30, of 6 years’ service; here he lies. His heir at his own expense set this up.

Commentary and notes

Savaria: (Stein am Anger or Szombathely) a Claudian colony in Pannonia Superior. The recruitment of much of leg. II A P F from the fleet may account for the trident and dolphin in the gable.