A Scato-sexual Message: The Secundinus Stone with Phallus from Vindolanda

Meyer, Alex; Mullen, Alex; Vanhala, Joonas

Abstract

The Secundinus stone, with its combination of carved phallus and text, was found in 2022 in excavations within the stone fort at Vindolanda. We consider comparanda for the imagery from Vindolanda, Britannia and further afield, and textual parallels particularly from Pompeii. We offer several possible interpretations of the object and prefer an analysis which takes the text, SECVNDINVS CACOR, as it is carved. This interpretation would add an otherwise unattested verbal form to the Latin scato-sexual vocabulary.

Citation

Meyer, A., Mullen, A., & Vanhala, J. (2023). A Scato-sexual Message: The Secundinus Stone with Phallus from Vindolanda. Britannia, 54, 305-320. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0068113X2300020X

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 19, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Sep 6, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-11
• Deposit Date: Apr 5, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 6, 2023
• Journal: Britannia
• Print ISSN: 0068-113X
• Electronic ISSN: 1753-5352
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 54
• Pages: 305-320
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0068113X2300020X
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/19289562
• Publisher URL: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/britannia/article/scatosexual-message-the-secundinus-stone-with-phallus-from-vindolanda/3A7047D13FCA8EE66168085EA8A79000