Verulamium Forum inscription

The Verulamium Forum Inscription (dated to AD 79, during the reign of the emperor Titus) is one of the many Roman inscriptions in Britain. It was found in 1955 at the north-east entrance to the forum and basilica of Verulamium (modern St Albans).

The inscription is in a fragmentary condition, but is notable because it mentions Gnaeus Julius Agricola, the Roman governor of Britain from AD 78-84, who is otherwise known from a biography written by his son in law Tacitus.

The inscription as it stands reads:

[IMP TITUS CAESAR DIVI] VESPA [SIANI] F VES [PASIANUS AUG]
[P M TR P VIII IMP XV COS VIII] DESI [GN VIIII CENSOR P P]
"Domitian's titles erased but partly legible"
[CN IVLIO A] GRIC [OLA LEG AUG PRO PR] .
..] VEI [..."big gap"...] NATA [... [ [http://www.palmyra.uklinux.net/pur-inscription.html#AgricolaVerulamium Database of Roman Purbeck limestone: Inscriptions] ]

It is usually reconstructed to read:

IMP TITO CAESARI DIVI VESPASIANI F VESPASIANO AVG
PM TR P VIIII IMP XV COS VII DESIG VIII CENSORI PATER PATRIAE
ET CAESARI DIVI VESPASIANI F DOMITIANO COS VI DESIG VII PRINCIPI IVENTVTIS ET OMNIVM COLLEGIORVM SACERDOTI
CN IVLIO AGRICOLA LEGATO AVG PRO PR
MVNICIPIVM VERVLAMIVM BASILICA ORNATA

Which translates as:

For the Emperor Titus Caesar Vespasianus Augustus, son of the Divine Vespasian,
Pontifex Maximus, tribunician power nine times, Imperator fifteen times, consul seven times, designated consul for an eighth term, censor, Father of the Fatherland,
and to Caesar Domitianus, son of the Divine Vespasian, consul six times, designated consul for a seventh term, Prince of Youth, and to all the priestly brotherhoods,
Gnaeus Julius Agricola, legate of the emperor with pro-praetorian power,
adorned the Verulamium basilica.

The last line is particularly fragmentary, and alternative reconstructions include CIVITAS CATVVELLAVNORVM FORO EXORNATA "... embellished the forum of the Catuvellaunian tribal council" or RESPVBLICA VERVLAMIVM LATIO DONATA "... donated the funds to widen the Verulamium public-works". [ [http://www.roman-britain.org/places/verulamium.htm Verulamium Catuvellorum] at [http://www.roman-britain.org/ Roman-Britain.org] ]

The inscription can be dated to AD 79, the year Vespasian died (he would not have been referred to as "divus" until after his death) and Titus had his seventh consulship. [See Wikipedia's list of early imperial Roman consuls] The reference to his brother Domitian was defaced, as were most inscriptions referring to him, after "damnatio memoriae" was pronounced on him in 96.

References