Verulamium Forum inscription

The find-spot lay near the north-east entrance to the forum and basilica of Verulamium.

The inscription is notable because it mentions Gnaeus Julius Agricola, the Roman governor of Britain from AD 77–84, who is otherwise known from a biography written by his son-in-law Tacitus.

[2] This version would be expanded to read: IMP(eratori) TITO CAESARI DIVI VESPASIANI F(ilio) VESPASIANO AVG(usto) P(ontifici) M(aximo) TR(ibuniciae) P(otestatis) VIIII IMP(eratori) XV CO(n)S(uli) VII DESIG(nato) VIII CENSORI PATRI PATRIAE ET CAESARI DIVI VESPASIANI F(ilio) DOMITIANO CO(n)S(uli) VI DESIG(nato) VII PRINCIPI IVVENTVTIS ET OMNIVM COLLEGIORVM SACERDOTI GN(aeo) IVLIO AGRICOLA LEGATO AVG(usti) PRO PR(aetore)

This translates as: For the Emperor Titus Caesar Vespasian Augustus, son of the deified Vespasian, Pontifex Maximus, in the ninth year of tribunician power, acclaimed Imperator fifteen times, having been consul seven times, designated consul for an eighth time, censor, Father of the Fatherland, and to Caesar Domitian, son of the deified Vespasian, having been consul six times, designated consul for a seventh term, Prince of Youth, and member of all the priestly brotherhoods, when Gnaeus Julius Agricola was legate of the emperor with pro-praetorian power, the Verulamium basilica was adorned.

The last line is particularly fragmentary, and the alternative reconstruction CIVITAS CATVVELLAVNORVM FORO EXORNATA ("the forum of the Catuvellaunian tribal council was embellished") has been considered, along with the less likely RESPVBLICA VERVLAMIVM LATIO DONA ("... donated the funds to widen the Verulamium public-works").