Romano-British tombstone
- Gallery: Room 49
- Culture: Romano-British
- Date: 1stC
- Object type: tombstone
- Materials: limestone
- Museum number: 1873,0521.1
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
This is a Romano-British tombstone of a Roman soldier named Gaius Saufeius. Standing over two meters tall, it is carved from limestone and features a gabled top with the outline of a pediment and acroteria. A carved tenon at the bottom suggests it was once inserted into a base. The tombstone is richly decorated—three six-petaled rosettes modelled in low relief are arranged above the rectangular inscription panel, with two measuring 16 centimeters in size.
The Latin inscription below tells us that Gaius served in the Ninth Legion for 22 years before passing away at the age of 40. His name, rank, and heritage are carefully recorded, offering a rare personal glimpse into a Roman soldier’s life in Britain during the 1st century.
See it in person
Romano-British tombstone is on display in Room 49 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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