Tessera

Tessera (Latin for square; plural: tesserae, the word is derived from the ancient Greek τέσσαρες / tessares - "four" ) is the name for the small square tile of stone, ceramic, brass, lead, leg, terracotta or glass, with which you interpret mosaics on floors.

Tessera was then used in the name for the game cube and the platelets, which were used as identity card, admission ticket or coin set. These tesserae could have other shapes, such as are often tesserae in a round shape, but also in stick form or figuratively occupied.

Tesserae as brands

Among the Greeks were tesserae σύμβολα / symbola (singular: symbolon ) were called and authorization, entry or recognition marks as well as play and counters. In Athens, it was used as participation marks for the popular assemblies and the court hearings and as such were entitled to financial compensation brands. Symbolon also designated the residence permit for temporary living in the land of strangers ( xenoi, more parepidēmúntes παρεπιδημοῦντες ).

In the Roman military militares tesserae were used: on a small table, usually round in shape, the name of the soldier or a solution was applied. They served well as a recognition mark.

The best known tesserae in the form of coins. They were just like these embossed and consisted mostly of brass. On the reverse were mostly numbers from I to XVI - XIX rarely up - embossed on the obverse was in the early Imperial period, the head of the emperor coined. These tesserae were frumentariae cereal brands, which functioned as tokens for the free supply of grain ( annona ). They were introduced to 23 BC in the reform of the grain supply of Rome by Augustus. The numbers mark the day of the cereal output between the Ides and the Kalends; the determination of the day was made by countdown of the Kalends.

In the private sector there were cast lead tesserae which were used within the clientele being as vouchers for money or food. Even in the religious life and at parties they have been used as a kind of substitute money. A special group of tesserae are the spintriae, probably in the area of ​​prostitution were used. Tesserae nummulariae were four-sided, made ​​of bone brands that were labeled with the name of the reigning consuls. They are testing and Datierhilfen. With them money bags were marked.

Even in the private sector found tesserae use. From ivory -made discs with concentric rings and numerals from I to XX on the obverse were game pieces, in animal or plant form they were Lossteine ​​probably used in the private sector.

Metalla, which were formerly known as mine brands, despite similarities are no tesserae.