Regina Tombstone, 2nd century A.D.

One of the most important tombstones to be found in Britain which amply demonstrates the nature of cosmopolitan Arbeia, is the Regina tombstone, found in 1878.

Regina was a member of the Catuvellauni tribe, based in the area we know today as Hertfordshire. She was the slave of Barates, who had come from the trading city of Palmyra in Syria, a city situated in the desert between Damascus and the River Euphrates. Regina, freed from her slavery, married Barates. Her fine tombstone reflects the lifestyle and status she enjoyed as a free woman. She is depicted wearing the most fashionable Romano-British costume of the day, sitting in a high-backed wicker chair usually seen in high society Rome. In one hand, she is holding a distaff and spindle for spinning wool; a basket of sheep’s wool lies at her feet. With her other hand she opens a treasure box.

In keeping with common practice, the tombstone is inscribed in Latin, but most unusually also in Aramaic, suggesting that it was carved by a Syrian.

Below the Latin is a line of Palmyrene text in Aramaic, similar to modern Hebrew.

RYGN’ BT HRY BR ‘T’ HBL

Regina, freedwoman of Barates, alas

The Latin inscription reads: 

D(IS) M(ANIBUS) REGINA LIBERTA ET CO BARATES PALMYRENUS NATIONE CATUALIAUNA AN(NORUM) XXX

which translates as: 

To the spirits of the departed (and) freedwoman and wife of Barates of Palmyra,  Catuvellauni by birth, died aged 30