Inscriptions can be found on buildings, tombstones and on religious items such as altars. These inscriptions often contain the name of the person or god to whom the dedication is made, usually at the top, followed by the name of whoever constructed the building or gave the offering.

Inscriptions are commonly found belonging to legions, celebrating victories or identifying buildings belonging to the army. Religious inscriptions were made as offerings to the gods for protection, to ensure fertility or good business, or even to ask the gods to curse someone.

Inscriptions were also made on everday objects, such as maker’s stamps on pottery, bits of lead, coins and stamps to mark loaves of bread before they were baked.