DEDICATION TO HERCULES, BENWELL Alison E. Cooley AEC/ASHL AN2001.1.xml Oxford Ashmolean Museum AN2001.1 AshLI 157

A thin copper alloy plaque (tabula ansata), with nail holes on each handle (0.049 0.071 0.001) for hanging it up or fixing it to a wall. There is damage to the bottom edge.

On the front face, the letters are punched as dots onto the metal, and are visible on the reverse side too. The text is centred on each line. The text in line 3 encroaches onto the space of the handles.

 approx. 0.008-0.01. Benwell (Condercum) second half of 1st century-2nd c AD Said to have been found at Benwell (Condercum), Northumberland/Tyne and Wear, but its exact provenance is unknown. It was bought from antiquities’ dealer Brian Carter. It is currently on display in the Rome Gallery. Photograph
Deo Herculil Marus <rs type="military"><expan><abbr>trib</abbr><ex>unus</ex></expan> <lb n="4"/> <expan><abbr>leg</abbr><ex>ionis</ex></expan> <num value="20">XX</num></rs> fecit

To the god Hercules. Marus, tribune of the 20th legion, set this up

HERCVLL lapis

This dedication is made by an individual who was a tribune in the 20th Legion, and so of equestrian status, who identifies himself by cognomen only. Tomlin and Hassall (2001) argue that the omission of the legion’s honorific title, Valeria Victrix, suggests that this dedication may pre-date the granting of that title in AD 61 or 83. They also suggest that it would be usual for a legionary tribune to make such a dedication in his permanent headquarters, which in this case would be Colchester (Camulodunum). They accept, however, that it is also possible that the dedication might have been made whilst the legion was on active service in the north-east of England. Malone (2006) points out that the omission of the legion’s title is not a secure means of dating the plaque.

Tomlin and Hassall (2001) p.392 no.18, with photograph at Plate XVII; AE 2001 no.1297; Ashmolean Museum Dept of Antiquities MS. Accessions Register 2001.1; Malone (2006) p.92 no.10.

Online: EDCS-23900147 [accessed 10/06/14]; HD046893 [accessed 10/06/14]

Malone S.J. 2006 Legio XX Valeria Victrix. Prosopography, archaeology and history Oxford Oxford: BAR International Series 1491 Tomlin R.S.O. Hassall M.W.C. 2001 Roman Britain in 2000. II. Inscriptions Britannia 32 387-400