The tombstone of Viatorinus, a Roman soldier who died at the hands of Frank in a foreign land – near the ancient settlement of Divitia (near Gereonskloster; around Cologne in Germany).
The soldier was in the position of protector, i.e. the form of a modern bodyguard. However, he served himself as an officer. The object is dated to the 4th century CE. There is an inscription on the stone:
VIATORINVS PROT-
ECTOR MILITAVIT AN-
NOS TRIGINTA O-
CCISVS IN BAR-
BARICO IVXTA D-
IVITIA A FRANCO
VICARIVS DIVITiEnSIvm POSvit
This can be translated: “The protector Viatorinus served thirty years and was killed by a Frank in the country of the barbarians, near Divitia. The deputy commander of the Divitian garrison erected this monument”.
