tombstone

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Object Type
Museum number: 1873,0521.1
Description: Military tombstone of Gaius Saufeius. This massive gravestone has a tenon at the bottom edge, presumably for insertion into some kind of base. It is gabled, having the outline of a pediment and acroteria. Three rosettes decorate the field above the rectangular inscription panel; the uppermost is smaller than the other two which measure 0.16 m. They each have six petals which are modelled in low relief against the recessed background of the containing circle.
Cultures/periods
Production date: 1stC
Findspot: Found/Acquired: Lincoln, corner of Salt House Lane
Materials
Dimensions: Height: 2303 millimetres; Thickness: 255 millimetres; Width: 650 millimetres
$Inscriptions
Curator's comments: The tombestone is very similar to 1899.0713.1 which similarly commemorates a soldier of the Ninth Legion. The similarity of the stones in shape, size and decoration suggests perhaps a common stock, to which a personal inscription could be added later as required (albeit to variable technical standards) (CSIR I, 8) 'The legion left Lincoln (Lindum) for York in c. AD 71, which means that Saufeius must have joined it before AD 50; and his place of origin, Heraclea in Macedonia, suggests that he did so before it left Pannonia in AD 43' (Tomlin 2018, 22).
Bibliographic references: R I B / The Roman Inscriptions of Britain (I, 255, p. 84-85); CSIR I, 8 / Roman Sculpture from Eastern England (no. 49); Roman Britain 1964 / Guide to the Antiquities of Roman Britain (p. 60, fig. 28.b.1); Hobbs & Jackson 2010 / Roman Britain Life at the Edge of Empire (p. 47, fig. 35); Tomlin 2018 / Britannia Romana. Roman inscriptions & Roman Britain (2.04; p. 22)
Location: On display (G49/od)
Condition: SOme weathering and discolouring, but otherwise in good condition.
Associated names
Acquisition name
Department: Britain, Europe and Prehistory
Registration number: 1873,0521.1
Conservation: Treatment: 07 Jul 1997; Treatment: 01 Jul 1986

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