R32

Romano-British dedication to the Emperor Trajan

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A rare and historically significant imperial dedication stone incised in shallow relief on an irregular limestone slab, probably from a minor military garrison or administrative building in Lincolnshire, Britain.

The inscription reads:

IMP(eratori) CAES(ari) DI(vi) NERVAE F(ilio) NERVAE TRAIANO A-VG(usto) GER(manico) PON-TIF(ico) MAXIM(o) POTES(tate) TR(ibunicia) II

Many of the words were abbreviated and the bracketed sections have been added in this transliteration for convenience only.

Translated, the inscription reads: For the Emperor Caesar Nerva Trajan Augustus, conqueror of the Germans, son of the deified Nerva, pontifex maximus, tribune of the people for the second time.

Trajan is among the most well-known of the Roman emperors, he was born in Spain on the 18th September 53 AD and became emperor in 98 AD until his death on the 8th August 117 AD. Unusually, he was a non-patrician who rose quickly through the military ranks to become a general and commander; his rise to emperor was the result of his politically-motivated adoption by the unpopular emperor Nerva who had been child-less. Trajan is remembered for his many building projects including Trajan's Column, Trajan's Forum and Trajan's Market in Rome. His superb military command saw important victories in Germany, Dacia and Parthia which resulted in the largest territorial expansion of the history of the Roman Empire. Trajan was also child-less and adopted Publius Aelius Hadrianus (Hadrian) as his successor.

This dedication to Trajan is among only six known examples from Britain and was located in an area previously thought to contain no Roman habitations of note. Its discovery led Dr. Peter Kruschwitz of Reading University to visit the find-spot and identify the location of a possible Roman building still awaiting excavation, a detailed report by Dr. Kruschwitz on the historical importance of this inscription accompanies the object.

Romano-British, Lincolnshire, first year of the reign of the emperor Trajan, December 97 AD - December 98 AD.

This inscription was found by a walker in 2006 near a small hamlet located between Boston and Holbeach in Lincolnshire (details included in the above-mentioned report). The discovery has been recorded by the Finds Liaison Officer responsible for the region.

Intact as shown

Size: 38 x 25 x 8 cms

Ex. private collection, Reading, UK. Formerly on loan and public display at the Ure Museum, University of Reading.

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