Holton, Stephanie Tombstones of Roman Britain

A Guide to Encountering the Dead

Discover the men, women, and children who called the Roman province of Britannia homethrough the most definitive, and often the only, testimony they left behind: their tombstones. What can we learn from these enduring memorials to the deceased? For the first time, this book brings together a selection of surviving tombstones from Roman Britain in an accessible collection, supplemented by useful background information on ancient burial practices, funerary symbolism, and beliefs regarding the afterlife. Explore the lives and deaths of people from all walks of life and from across the vast Roman Empire: from the devoted wives and playful children who lived along Hadrians Wall, to the seasoned soldiers stationed in the provinces forts, to the enslavedall immortalized for eternity on these ancient inscribed stones. New, clear translations of the inscriptions open up these monuments to modern readers; furthermore, a practical guide at the end of the book provides the necessary tools to decipher common Latin abbreviations found on funerary inscriptions for yourself. Each tombstone is accompanied by background information on the deceased, while accompanying illustrations and photographs of the stones bring these people of antiquity back to life.