Lucius Valerius Geminus: Bicester's Oldest Known Resident

Lucius Valerius Geminus was born in Forma Genorum (possibly San Lorenzo di Caraglio, now part of modern-day Italy) in the early 1st century AD.

As a young man, he joined the Legion II Augusta (2nd Augustun Legion), under Roman Emperor Tiberius. He later served under Emperor Vespasian. This was one of the first Roman Legions to occupy 'Britannia' (Britain), in 43 AD.

In 2003, archaeologists working at the site of the former Roman town of Alchester - on the outskirts of Bicester, near Wendlebury - unearthed Lucius' tombstone, which stated:

"Dis. Manibus/ L(ucius) Val(erius) L(uci filius) Pol(lia tribu) Gemi/nus For(o) Germ(anorum)/ vet(eranus) Leg(ionis) [I]I Aug(ustae)/ an(norum) L. h(ic) s(itus) e(st)/ he(res) c(uravit)/ e(x) t(estamento)." 

"To the souls of the departed: Lucius Valerius Geminus, the son of Lucius, of the Pollia voting tribe, from Forum Germanorum, veteran of the Second Augustan Legion, aged 50(?), lies here. His heir had this set up in accordance with his will."

Lucius probably began his military career between 17 - 25 AD, and spent the final few years of his life in Alchester. He may well have married a local girl, and the mention of an heir implies that he left children behind.

Alchester was abandoned sometime around 60 AD, so Lucius must have died prior to that. 

Although found in a fragmentary condition, the tombstone was painstakingly reconstructed by The Oxfordshire Museum (Woodstock), where it is now housed.

Thanks to this discovery, we can now say that Lucius was the earliest known inhabitant of the Bicester area!

Learn more about Alchester here.