Altar to Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the Other Deities and the Genius Praetorii

This altar, found at Vindolanda Roman fort in the commanding officer’s house in 1831, is a prime example of Roman religious ‘hedging of bets’. Quintus Petronius Urbicus was not sure who to dedicate the altar to, so he chose a catch-all ‘Other Deities’, as well as Jupiter, the King of all Gods, and the god of his house (the praetorium). The detail shown here is a crane with a chick, the meaning of which is not clear.