Grave marker of Afutianus

Although a Roman centurion, Afutianus was not a Roman citizen. He may have been born in Germany or France, and was an ordinary soldier who had risen through the ranks. The stone reads "To the spirit of the departed Afutianus, son of Bassus, centurian of the Second Cohort of Tungrians." The altar was erected by his wife, Flavia Baetica. The Second Cohort of Tungrians served at Birrens in the mid 2nd century AD. Origianlly recruited from the area of the Tungri trible in eastern Belgium, their numbers were later supplemented by recruits from Germanic tribes. Over a third of the inscriptions found at Birrens so far have been dedicated by this particular unit.