Tesserae

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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 AD

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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 AD

Tesserae

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