Abbreviations. Words were commonly abbreviated by using thei ntial letter or letters of words, and most inscriptions have at least one abbreviation. Numerous abbreviations were used and some could have more than one meaning, depending on their context. (For example, A can be an abbreviation for many words such as ager, amicus, annus, Aurelius, and avus.) Some words have more than one form of abbreviation, and there are also recurring formulas, such as HDSP. When a word was abbreviated, plurals could be expressed by doubling, trebling, or quadrupling the last letter, such as AVGG (meaning two Augusti). Some abbreviations, such as for personal names, were commonly used in literature, while most were used only in inscriptions. The use of abbreviations in inscriptions seems to have been a fashionable trend as well as an attempt to save space.

Examples of Abbreviations
A amicus (friend), annus (year), aurum (gold)

ADL, ADLEC, ADLECT adlectus (Selected, chosen)

AED aedes (building, usually a temple), aedilis (aedile)

AET aeturnus (eternal), aeternitas (eternity)

AN annus (year)

ANN annus (year), annona (corn supply)

AQ aqua (water), aquilifer (eagle-bearer)

AS, ASO a solo (from the ground)

A SOL REST a solo restituit (he restored from ground level)

ASC ascia (axe, trowel)

AVG Augustus (Augustus, i.e. Emperor Septimius Severus), augustalis (Priest of Augustus), augur (augur)

AVGG Augusti (two Augusti, i.e. Emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla in joint rule)

AVGGG Augusti (three Augusti, i.e. Emperors Septimius Severus, Caracalla, and Geta in joint rule)

AUG N Augustus noster (Our emperor)

B bene (well), beneficiarius (Beneficiarius), bonus (good)

BF beneficiarius (beneficiarius), bona fortuna (good fortune)

B M bene merenti (well deserving)

BR Britannia (Britain), Britannicus (British)

> ) Centurio (centurion), centuria (century) (> and ) are old Etruscan signs for K)