The Bridgeness Slab
| The Bridgeness Slab (Replica) | |
 The Bridgeness Slab (Replica)
The Bridgeness Slab (Replica) shown within the Falkirk council area |
|
| Council area | Falkirk |
|---|---|
| Region | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bo'ness |
| Police | Scottish |
| Fire | Scottish |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
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The Bridgeness Slab was found in Bo'ness, Scotland in 1869 on a promontory close to Harbour Road. The slab is a Roman Distance slab, marking a portion of the Antonine Wall built by the Second Legion, (Legio II Augusta) and was created around 142 CE.[1] It was uncovered during excavations in 1869 on land owned by Henry Mowbray Cadell. Cadell offered it[citation needed] to The Society of Antiquaries of Scotland for display in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh if they would provide a copy for display locally. In addition to the Latin inscription the original has sculpted panels. On the left is a victorious Roman cavalryman with four naked Britons, one being trampled, one running with a spear in his back, one sitting in apparent despair and one of whom is bound and beheaded. It has been suggested that the last act was a show of contempt for Gallo-Briton head veneration.[2] On the right panel is a depiction of the ritual cleansing of the legion, with a soldier at the rear carrying the vexillium, or cavalry flag, of Legio II Augusta. The inscription records the building of 4,655 paces of the Antonine Wall.[3]
The inscription in the centre panel reads "Imp CaesTito Aelio Hadriano Antonino Aug Pio p p legII Aug per m p III DCLXVI s", which when expanded reads as "Imp(eratori) Caes(ari) Tito Aelio/ Hadriano Antonino/ Aug(usto) Pio p(atri) p(atriae) leg(io) II Aug(usta)/ per m(ilia) p(assuum) III(milia)DCLXVI s(emis)". In English this translates as "For the Emperor Caesar Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Augustus Pius, Father of his Country, the Second Augustan Legion completed [the Wall] over a distance of 4655 paces".[4]
A replica was unveiled by Bo'ness Community Council and Falkirk Council on 7 September 2012 at 56°0′58.45″N, 3°35′1.31″W in Kinningars Park, Bridgeness, Bo'ness. The original is kept at the National Museum of Scotland.
