Lucius Duccius Rufinus facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lucius Duccius Rufinus
Tombstone of Lucius Duccius Rufinus]
Died	Eboracum
Allegiance	Roman Empire
Rank	Signifer
Unit	Legio IX Hispana

Lucius Duccius Rufinus was a standard-bearer of Legio IX Hispana.

Discovery

Rufinus is known only from his carved limestone tombstone, which was discovered in 1688 at Holy Trinity Church, Micklegate, in York. The circumstances of its discovery are first described by Ralph Thoresby in a letter to the Royal Society in 1706: "This monument was found in Trinity-yard in Mickelgate at York, and was happily, rescued by my Honoured Friend, Dr Bryan Fairfax, from the brutish workmen who had broke it in the middle, and were going to make use of it... but by the Gentleman's direction it was placed upright with the inscription outwards".

By 1732 the tombstone had been moved to Ribston Hall near Wetherby where it was in a garden owned by Sir Henry Goodwick. It was donated to the Yorkshire Museum in 1847 by Mr Joseph Dent, then owner of Ribston Hall.

Description

It is believed to date from between AD 71 and around AD 125.

The monument is 6 feet 2 inches (1.9 m) high by 2 feet 2 inches (0.66 m) wide, with a gabled top which is marked with an encircled cross. It depicts a male figure standing and facing forwards. The figure is depicted in military undress uniform holding a vexillum in one hand and a box of writing tablets in the other.

Inscription

The inscription, carved in six lines, reads:

L(VCIVS) DVCCIVS; L(VCI FILIVS) VOLT(INA) TRIBV) RVFI; NVS (DOMO) VIEN(NA); SIGNIF(IER) LEG(IONIS) VIIII: AN(NORVM) XXIIX: H(IC) S(ITVS) E(ST)

Lucius Duccius Rufinus, son of Lucius, of the Voltinian tribe, from Vienne, a standard-bearer of the Ninth Legion, 28 years old. He is laid here.