Tombstone of Blussus and the Menimans

The gravestone of the local boatman Blussus and his wife Menimane is probably the most famous gravestone in the Roman stone collection of the Landesmuseum Mainz due to its unique decoration on both sides. The front shows a frontal view of Blussus and Menimane on a bench. A young man can be seen behind the couple, who is probably their son Primus or the house slave Satto. As the inscription informs us, the latter was buried in the same place.

Blussus is dressed in a poncho-like hooded cloak (paenula), while Menimane wears an elaborate costume consisting of at least three overlapping garments and rich jewelry. Both the clothing and the personal names identify the figures as members of the Celtic population of Mainz-Weisenau, who were considered foreigners by the Romans as they did not have Roman citizenship. For Blussus, however, this was no obstacle to doing extensive business with the Romans. The reverse of the stone shows the basis of the family's wealth: a flat-bottomed ship with oarsmen and helmsmen.