Record number: CHEGM: 1999 6 54 1

Object name: inscribed tombstone

Description: Tombstone of Legion XX Valeria Victrix. Lower block of Keuper sandstone, of a monumental tomb; the mouldings below the inscription have broken away, the sides and back are chamfered, and a deep cist cut into the upper surface. This is the lower section of a small funeral monument with a hollow centre. The vessel containing the ashes of the dead man, and some of his personal possessions, would have been placed inside. An upper stone, now lost, would have made a decorative top to the monument; on it would have appeared the first part of the inscription giving the man’s name.

Period: Roman

Place found: North Wall (East), Chester

Date: 1887

Material: stone

Dimensions: height 17 inches; width 35 inches; depth 30 inches

Inscription: PVB C LEG V MACID ET / VIII AVG ET II AVG ET XX VV / VIXIT ANNIS LXI ARISTIO / LIB H F C
...] Pub(lilia tribu) c(enturio) leg(ionum) V Macid(onicae et VIII Aug(ustae) et II Aug(ustae) et XX V(aleriae) V(ictricis) vixit annis lxi Aristio lib(ertus) h(eres) f(aciendum) c(uravit)
...of the Publilian voting-tribe, Centurion of the Legions V Macedonica and VIII Augusta and II Augusta and XX Valeria Victrix, lived 61 years. His freedman and heir Aristio set this up.
Our unknown centurion travelled many miles before coming to Chester where he died. He first served with Legion V Macedonica in eastern Romania, later moving to VIII Augusta stationed at Strasbourg on the Rhine. He then came over to Britain, joining II Augusta at Caerleon in south Wales before being posted to XX Valeria Victrix at Chester. Latin