Tombstone of Titus Valerius Pudens
Roman Britain, 1st century AD
From the site of a Roman cemetery at Monson Street, Lincoln
A Roman legionary soldier from Hungary
This is the tombstone of Titus Valerius Pudens, a Roman soldier
of the Second Legion Adiutrix. His home town was Savaria in the
Roman province of Pannonia Superior (modern Hungary).
The Second Legion Adiutrix was recruited from marines of the
Ravenna fleet during the Roman civil war of AD 69. It would appear
that Pudens joined the legion at this time, though we do not know
whether he was a new recruit at the time, or if he had served some
time as a marine. The nautical motifs at the head of the tombstone
- the trident of the sea-god Neptune between two dolphins -
probably refer back to the roots of the legion, as well as
symbolizing the voyage of the soul to the isles of the dead.
Pudens died at the age of 30 around the year AD 76, shortly
before the legion moved from Lincoln to a new fortress at
Chester.
The inscription reads: 'T(itus) Valerius T(iti) f(ilius) |
Cla(udia tribu) Pudens Sau(aria) | mil(es) leg(ionis) A(diutricis)
P(iae) F(idelis) | c(enturia) Dossenni | Proculi a(nnorum) XXX |
aera [V]I h(eres) d(e) s(uo) p(osuit) | h(ic) s(itus) e(st) ('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 year's service;
here he lies. His heir at his own expense set this up.')