| Acronym / Abbreviation | Latin Expansion | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| A N | Augustus noster | "our Emperor" |
| A S | a solo | "from the ground [upwards]" |
| AA NN | Augusti nostri | "our Emperors (2)" |
| AD | adiutrix | "assistant, helper (title of the Second Legion)" |
| AQ(V) | aqua | "water, aqueduct" |
| AQ(V) | aquarius | "water-bearer (a sign of the zodiac)" |
| AQ(V) | aquilifer | "bearer of the legionary eagle standard" |
| AVG | Augusta | "the wife/mother of the Emperor, the title of the Second and Eighth Legions" |
| AVG | Augustus | "the Augustus (i.e. the Emperor), sacred, venerable, majestic, the most distinguished, the August" |
| AVGG | augusti | "the emperors (2)" |
| AVGGG | augusti | "the emperors (3 or more)" |
| B F | beneficiarius | "a soldier exempt from normal duties, usually in order to serve in a specialised advisory or administrative position" |
| B (F) COS | beneficiarius consularis | "a beneficiarius attached to the staff of the consular governor" |
| B R P N | bono rei publicae natus | "for the good of the children of the Republic" |
| BB FF | beneficiarii | "plural of beneficiarius, above" |
| BR | Breuci | "the Breuci tribe of ?" |
| BR | Britannia | "Britain" |
| BR | Brittones | "the British people" |
| BRI(T) | Britannia | "Britannia (either the country or the patron goddess of the Islands)" |
| BRI(T) | Britannicus | "literally 'of Britain' (a Roman cognomen or military title)" |
| BVC | buccinator | "military bugle-player" |
| C A | curam agens | "administered through the agency of ..., the responsibility fell upon ..., managed by ..." |
| C A | custos armorum | "the keeper of the armoury, armourer" |
| C F C | coniunx faciendum curavit | "his/her wife/husband was responsible for the making [of this memorial]" |
| C P, C P EST | cui praeest | "whose commander is, commanded by" |
| C V | clarissimus vir | "a man of distinction, 'Right Honourable', most distinguished man" |
| C(ON) K(AR) | coniunx carissimus | "the loveliest of spouses" |
| CL(AS) BR(IT) | classis Britannica | "the British fleet" |
| COH, CHO | cohors, cohortis | "cohort(s), military unit(s) of around 500 men" |
| COS | consule, consules, consularis | "consul(s), bearing consular power, consular, the two most senior magistrates of the Roman republic" |
| CV(RA) | cura | "attention, care, management, administration, responsibility" |
| CV(RA) | curator | "manager, superintendant, guardian" |
| CV(RA) | curavit | "he has managed or arranged" |
| D D | dedicavit | "he has dedicated" |
| D D | dii deae | "? to the goddess" |
| D D | domus divina | "the divine house" |
| D D | dono dedit | "donated an offering" |
| D M | deo Mercuris | "for/to the god Mercury" |
| D M | dis manibus | "to the shades of the departed" |
| D M S | dis manibus sacrum | "to the sacred spirits of the departed" |
| D N | dominus noster | "our lord" |
| DD NN | domini nostri | "our lords (2)" |
| DDD NNN | domini nostri | "our lords (3 or more)" |
| DEABVS | deabus | "for/to the goddesses" |
| DEAE | deae | "for/to the goddess" |
| DEO | deo | "for/to the god" |
| DEORVM | deorum | "for/to the gods" |
| DIS M | dis manibus (sacrum) | "to the shades of the departed" |
| EM | emeritus | "a veteran soldier on a military pension" |
| EQ | eques | "a knight, a horseman, trooper" |
| EQ | equitata | "(of a military unit) part-mounted" |
| EX T(EST) | ex testamento | "as testified (in a will)" |
| EX V(OTO) | ex voto | "as the result of a vow" |
| F(EC) | fecit | "he makes, he is making" |
| F(IL) | filius, filia | "the son, daughter [of]" |
| FAC | faciendum, faciebat | "the making, he was making" |
| F(AC) C(VR) | faciendum curavit | "the making [of which] he has arranged, he arranged [this] to be made" |
| FE | februarius | "February, the second month" |
| FID | fidelis | "faithful" |
| GEM | gemina, gemini | "twin (title of the Fourteenth Legion), twins (a sign of the zodiac)" |
| H D S P | heres de suo posuit | "his heirs themselves placed this" |
| H E T F | heres ex testamento fecit | "his heirs placed this as stipulated in his will" |
| H E T P | heres ex testamento posuit | "his heirs had this made as stipulated in his will" |
| H ET L | heredes et liberi | "[his] heirs and [his] freedmen" |
| H ET L | heres et libertus | "[his] freedman and heir" |
| H F C | heres faciendum curavit | "his heirs attended to/were responsible for the making [of this]" |
| H S E | hic situs est | "he lies here, here he lies" |
| HER | Hercules | "Hercules, the strongman of the demi-gods" |
| HER | heres, heredes | "heirs" |
| HIS(P) | Hispan(i)a | "of Spain, Spanish (title of the Ninth Legion)" |
| I O M (D) | "to/for Jupiter Best and Greatest (of Doliche)" | |
| IIIVIR | triumvir | "a member of the board of three" |
| IIVIR | duumvir | "a member of the board of two" |
| IMP | imperator | "Emperor, victorious general" |
| IOM | Iupitter Optimus Maximus | "Jupiter Best and Greatest" |
| K(AR) | carissima/carisimus | "the most caring, the dearest, the loveliest" |
| K | kalendis | "the first day of the month" |
| L(EG) A(VG) | legatus Augusti | "legate of the Emperor, governor" |
| L(EG) L(EG) | legatus legionis | "legionary legate, commander of a legion" |
| LEG | legatus | "legate (senior military rank)" |
| LEG | legio | "legion (military unit of about 5,000 citizen troops)" |
| LIB | libens | "freely, of one's own volition" |
| LIB | libertus | "freedman" |
| LIB | librarius | "military book-keeper" |
| MAT | mater | "mother" |
| MATR | matres | "mothers, mother-goddesses" |
| MIL | miles | "a soldier" |
| MIL | milia | "a thousand" |
| MIL | militavit | "military service" |
| MIL | milliaria | "one-thousand strong (of a military unit)" |
| N(VM) A(VG) | numen Augusti | "the living spirit of the Emperor, the divine will of the Emperor" |
| NEP | nepos | "grandson" |
| NVM | numen | "holy spirit, divine will" |
| NVM | numerus | "number, a company of soldiers" |
| OP(T) | optimus | "the best" |
| OP(T) | optio | "military officer just beneath the rank of centurion" |
| ORD | ordinarius | "a regular soldier receiving normal pay" |
| ORD | ordo | "order, rank, class" |
| P F | pia fidelis | "loyal and faithful (title of the Sixth Legion)" |
| P S D N | pro salute dominus noster | "for the well-being of our lord (i.e. the Emperor)" |
| P S ET S | pro se et suis | "for himself and his own (i.e. his family)" |
| P(AT) P(AT) | pater patriae | "literally 'father of the fatherland', father of his country" |
| POS | posuit | "he has placed [this]" |
| PR PR | praefectus praetorio | "commander of the Praetorian Guard (at Rome)" |
| PR PR | praeses provincae | "governor of the province, provincial governor" |
| PR PR | princeps prior | "a senior centurion" |
| PR PR | pro-praetore | "propraetor, a magistrate with praetorian power" |
| PR | praefectus | "a prefect, senior officer" |
| PR | praetor | "praetor, the second most senior magistracy of the Roman republic" |
| PR | pridie | "before today" |
| PR | primus | "the first" |
| PR | princeps | "first among equals (another name for the emperor)" |
| PR | pro | "for, before, in front of" |
| PR | procurator | "manager, overseer, deputy" |
| PR | provincia | "the province" |
| PRA(EF) | praefectus | "prefect, senior officer" |
| Q C A | quorum curam agit | "the undertaking of which has been managed by ..." |
| R C | reficiendum curavit | "reponsible for the restoration [of]" |
| REF | refecit | "the restoration" |
| torquibus, armilis [et] phaleris | "[awarded with] neck-rings, arm-bands [and] military ornaments" | |
| T(RIB) P(OT) | tribunicia potestas | "the powers of a tribune (of the people)" |
| TR(IB) | tribunus | "[military] tribune, tribune [of the plebs]" |
| TR(IB) | tribus | "tribe, nation" |
| V S L L M | votum solvit libens laetus merito | "willingly, gladly and deservedly fulfilled a vow" |
| V S L M | votum solvit libens merito | "willingly and deservedly in fulfillment of a vow" |
| V V | valeria victrix | "Valiant and Victorious (titles of the Twentieth Legion)" |
| VET | veteranus | "a veteran (soldier)" |
| VEX | vexillarius | "the bearer of the 'vexillium' or military standard" |
| VEX | vexillatio | "flag-section, a number of normally unrelated military units formed together under a single standard" |
| VI | vixit | "he has lived [for], his age is" |
| VIC | vicit | "he has lived [for], his age is" |
| VIC | victor, victrix | "victorious (male)", "victorious (female; title of the Sixth, Fourteenth and Twentieth Legions)" |
| VIC | victoria | "victory, the goddess Victoria" |
| VIC | vicus, vicani | "village", "villager" |
| VX | uxor | "wife, husband, spouse" |
| VX | vixit | "he lived [for]" |
| XVVIR | quindecimvir | "a member of the board of fifteen" |
For further information I would direct the reader the excellent table of 'Abbreviations used in Inscriptions', published in The Archaeology of Roman Britain by R.G. Collingwood (1930 chap.xi pp.178-184). 
