Reading Roman Inscriptions

Roman inscriptions preserve the voices, occupations, beliefs and identities of people who are often difficult to recover from literary sources. In Reading Roman Inscriptions, John Rogan offers a practical introduction to deciphering the abundant Latin inscriptions preserved in British museums and at archaeological sites, showing that readers do not need fluent Latin to begin understanding them.

By introducing common abbreviations, formulas and conventions, Rogan guides readers through the process of recognising and interpreting inscriptions for themselves. Funerary monuments, dedications and other inscribed objects reveal details of work, family, military service, religion, hopes and fears in Roman Britain. Combining a beginner-friendly method with the historical evidence contained in the texts, the book is useful both as an introduction to Roman epigraphy and as a way of encountering everyday lives through words carved in stone.