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Inscriptions from Alchester: Vespasian's Base of the Second Augustan Legion(?)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 March 2010

Eberhard W. Sauer
Eberhard W. Sauer
Affiliation:
School of History and Classics, University of Edinburgheberhard.sauer@ed.ac.uk
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Abstract

Excavation at Alchester in 2003 revealed an almost complete tombstone of a veteran of the Second Augustan Legion. This provides the first known biography of any person living in pre-medieval Oxfordshire. He is arguably also the earliest legionary veteran attested in Britain. All other tombstones of legionary veterans in Britain come from the main base of their legion or a veterans' colony. Since there is nothing to suggest that Alchester ever became a colony, it must have been the main base of the legio II Augusta and thus Vespasian's base (a case supported by other indications, notably the fortress's foundation date of a.d. 43/44), unless it is the only known exception to the rule.

Keywords

ALCHESTERLEGION II AUGUSTAVESPASIANROMAN INSCRIPTIONSROMAN FORTRESSROMAN TOMBSTONES
Type
Articles
Information
Britannia , Volume 36 , November 2005 , pp. 101 - 133
Copyright
Copyright © Eberhard W. Sauer 2005. Exclusive Licence to Publish: The Society for the Promotion of Roman Studies

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References

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