Tessera
Tessera — a clay or wax tablet used to record information in ancient Rome. The wax tablets could be used multiple times. Tesserae were very popular among the Roman military: there are many bas-reliefs depicting them both with single tesserae and with whole sets that they carried in special bags. There was also a special military rank,named after such tablets — tesserary.
Part of a stele to Annaius Daverzus with a tessera,a military man from cohors IIII Delmatarum. Early 1st century AD
Tombstone of Gaius Valerius Valens,centurion of the VIII Augustan Legion,carrying a set of tesserae. 1st century AD Archaeological Museum,Corinth,Greece.
Fragment of the tombstone of the flag bearer-Signifer Oklatiya from the cavalry Ala of the Africans with a set of tesserae. Neuss,Germany. 1st century ADMore Than a Tablet
The word tessera could denote several small objects carrying written or conventional meaning: a wax tablet, token, password, pass, accounting mark or game piece. In a military context tesserae with orders and passwords were especially important, passed through the chain of command and supervised by the tesserarius.
Written Culture
The spread of tesserae shows that the Roman army and urban life relied on practical literacy. A short note could record property, distribute duties or confirm a right to rations or entry. The tessera therefore links material culture with administration: a small object worked as part of a large management system.
Related topics
Literature
1. M. C. Bishop, J. C. N. Coulston. Roman Military Equipment. 2. Alan K. Bowman. Life and Letters on the Roman Frontier. 3. R. S. O. Tomlin. Roman London’s First Voices.
Tombstone of the flag bearer-Signifer Oklatiya from the cavalry Ala of the Africans. Neuss,Germany. 1st century AD
Tombstone of the standard bearer (signifer) of the IX Spanish Legion Lucius Ductius. Yorkshire Museum,York,UK. Late 1st - early 2nd century ADInterested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions. Reenactment
