Vibia Pacata – Roman Women in Scotland

There are some Roman women mentioned in Scotland. Centurions brought their families to Scotland or married into the local population. Women and children lived in and around Roman fortifications in Scotland.

Vibia Pacata, North African wife of a centurion is named on a tombstone near Falkirk ” Vibia Pacata, (wife) of Flavius Verecundus centurion of the Sixth Legion Victrix, with her family paid her vow willingly, deservedly.” see https://romaninscriptionsofbritain.org/inscriptions/3504 North African Origins: Her surname (cognomen) “Pacata” was highly popular in Roman North Africa. Furthermore, her dedication to the Caelestes (“Celestial ones”) strongly mirrors the worship of the African goddess Caelestis (the Romanized Tanit of Carthage).
Julia Domna, Syrian wife of the emperor who stayed in Edinburgh during the invasion in 205 is mentioned as having discussions with the wife of the leader of the Caledonians
Claudia Severa. In Vindolanda just over the border, there is the birthday invitation from Claudia Severa to Sulpicia Lepidina around 100 AD probably the first evidence of a woman writing in Britain.
Verecunda is said to have been a slave girl in Auchendavy. This seems to be a guess as her funeral inscription makes no mention of her status. Her name is Celtic.

The name Vercunda is found throughout Britain.