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The Flavinus tombstone, discovered in the foundations of the south transept in 1881, is a significant historical artefact.
The inscription reads:
| DIS MANIBUS FLAVINUS EQ(ues) ALAE PETR(ianæ) SIGNIFER | |
| TVR(ma) CANDIDI AN(norum) XXV STIP(endiorum) VII H(ic) S(itus est) | |
| To the spirits of the departed, Flavinus, trooper of the cavalry | |
| regiment Petriana standard bearer of the troop Candidus, aged | |
| 25, of seven years' service, he lies here. |
shaped sword.
How the stone ended up here at the Abbey is a mystery, but re-use of original Roman stone was common across Europe. The 7th-Century Crypt of St Wilfrid's original church was constructed with some Roman stone, take a look to see if you can see some original inscriptions on the walls.
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Memorial to a Roman Standard Bearer
1st Century
| Inscription | |
| DIS MANIBUS FLAVINUS EQ[ues] ALAE PETR[ianæ] SIGNIFER | |
| TVR[ma] CANDIDI AN[norum] XXV STIP[endiorum] VII H[ic] | |
| S[itus est] | |
| Translation | |
| To the Venerated Departed: Here Lies Flavinus, a Horse | |
| Soldier of the Cavalry Regiment of Petriana, Standard | |
| Bearer of the Troop of Candidus, Aged 25, of 7 Years' | |
| Service. |
… The slab is the largest of its class that has been found in England. It is a stock design used largely all over the Roman Empire, and represents a mounted soldier riding over a prostrate barbarian. … The soldier is well armed, he wears a helmet with high crest and plume, and round his neck is a torque, which indicates his high rank. In his right hand he carries the standard, which displays the sun god in a circle. The long sword is sheathed, and no other weapon is seen. The horse is amply harnessed, furnished with martingales, covered with a square-cut saddle-cloth, and shod. The barbarian is naked, and carries a large oval shield by a strap with his left arm, while his right hand grasps a short leaf-shaped sword of strikingly different form to that worn by his conqueror. [Hexham and Its Abbey, Hodges and Gibson, 1919, p.72]
| DIS MANIBVS FLAVINVS | |
| EQ ALAE PETR SIGNIFER | |
| TVR CANDIDI AN XXV | |
| STIP VII H S |
EQ[ues] ALAE PETR[ianæ] SIGNIFER
TVR[ma] CANDIDI AN[norum] XXV
STIP[endiorum] VII H[ic] S[itus] [est]
A Horse Rider of the Cavalry Regiment of Petriana
Standard Bearer of the Troop of Candidus
Aged 25, of 7 Years' Service
“The general style of the sculpture, together with the fact that the inscription contains a single ligature (IN in Plavinus), lead us to suppose that the slab belongs to the 2nd century.” [Dr Bruce in Archæologia Æliana, vol.ix, pp164–168]
In 1881 the author [CC Hodges] obtained permission to explore beneath the floor at the south end of the south transept with a view to verifying a story, which had gained some credence, that a large hollow vault existed there. On Monday, September 19, operations were begun, and the same night, while digging in company with Mr Robert Robson, the parish clerk, he came upon a foundation of ancient date running across the slype. Laid in this foundation was the large slab, shown in the position in which it lay on Plate 8, and in detail on Plate 42. [E, Plate 8 shows it face upwards on a foundation wall aligned n. to s., with its base under the south wall of the slype]. It was raised at the expense of the Rector and Churchwardens, and is now placed in an upright position in the south transept. It was thus described by Dr Bruce in a paper [Archæologia Æliana, vol.ix, pp164–168], read before the Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, October 26, 1881:—
“The slab was lying with its face upwards, and covered with mortar, about two feet below the floor. It had been used in laying the foundation of a wall three feet five inches thick, which crossed the chamber at a distance of seven feet from the west wall of the transept. The larger portion of the stone projected beyond the wall, and being insufficiently supported, had snapped across at the point of junction. The slab is about nine feet long and three feet and a half wide; it averages one foot in thickness, and is supposed to weigh about two tons. The local masons say the stone is that of a neighbouring quarry—that of Birkey Burn. On lifting the stone, an operation which was not effected without difficulty, it was found to be elaborately carved on the upper side. The carving represents a cavalry officer riding rough-shod over a fallen foe. The officer has his side face towards the spectator. On his head is a helmet which is adorned with two flowing plumes; there has doubtless been a third, which is hid from view by the larger of the two that are represented. There is a torque round his neck. He holds a shield in his left hand; in his right he carries a standard, at the head of which is a radiated figure exhibiting, on close inspection, something like the appearance of a human head. It may be a mere ornament; or if it be a head it may be that of the Emperor or Apollo. The horseman has on a coat of mail, and by his right side hangs his sword. The horse as usual is small in comparison with the size of the man, the bridle and trappings are shown, but no stirrups are seen. The prostrate foe is crouching on the ground; his face fronts the spectator, and is well seen; he wears a beard, which the rider does not; his sword is in his right hand and is uplifted, but that part of the carving which should represent the end of it is broken off. On each side of the slab has been an ornamented column terminating in an elaborate capital, considerable portions of which remain. The upper part has been carefully decorated, but the efforts of the Roman artist have been to a great extent obliterated by the pickaxes of more recent workmen. The carving on the whole is well designed, and is very effective; it has not however been so well finished as some other Roman works of art which have been found in the north. The stone bears an inscription, which shows that it has been a tombstone erected to the memory of a deceased soldier. The lower part of the stone is untouched with the chisel, inducing the belief that this part had been let into the ground; the back and sides of it, too, are rough, rendering it probable that it has been inserted into a wall. It may have formed the front of a cippus in which were deposited the ashes of the young man.” [see URL link for whole paper]
See also URL: archaeologydataservice.ac.uk