Basic info

Collection

Archaeology

Object name

Inscribed object

Object category

Roman

Description

Inscription with well formed Roman letters and numbers. Described in Eboracum as 'Commemorative Tablet fragment in magnesian limestone, comprising the middle part, 3 and 1/3 ft by 3 and 3/4 ft, of an inscription recording the building in stone of the SE gate of the fortress under Trajan. The fine lettering decreases in height from 6 ins in the first line to 3 and 1/2 ins in the last. Found in 1854 at a depth of 26ft to 28ft in King's Square near the house at the corner of Goodramgate and king's Square in making a drain along Goodramgate and Church Street. IM]P(ERATOR) CAESAR DIVI N]ERVAE FIL(IVS) N[ERVA TRAI]ANVS AVG(VSTVS) GER[M(ANICVS DAC ICVS PO]NTIFEX MAXMV[S TRIBV NICIAE PO]TESTATIS XII IMP(ERATOR) V [CO(N)S(VL) v P(ATER) P(ATRIAE) PORTAM] PER LEG(IONEM) VIIII HI[SP(ANAM) FECIT 'The Emperor Caesar, son of the divine Nerva, Nerva Traianus Augustus, Germanicus, Dacicus, ponifex maximus, in his twelfth year of tribunician power, five times acclaimed Imperator, five times consul, father of his country, made this gateway by agency of the Ninth Legion Hispana' This stone is dated by Trajan's twelfth tribunician power to the year 10 Dec 107- 9 Dec 108. The lettering is of very great elegance and it's form suggests a draft written with pen or brush, faithfully copied by the mason and thus affording a glimpse of the offical style used by clerks or draughtsmen of the Ninth Legion.'

Production date start

107

Production date end

108

Period

Roman