Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Missilia

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

MISSIL'IA. Presents of various articles, thrown from an elevated platform amongst the people by the Roman emperors, or other wealthy individuals who sought to gain the favour of the populace by a largess (congiarium); to which the modern practice of scattering money amongst the crowd at a coronation or other solemnities owes its origin. The missilia were in general the objects themselves actually thrown, and belonged to those who had the good luck to catch them in the scramble; but as some things, such as corn or wine, could not be disposed of in this manner, and others would be damaged by the fall and contest for their possession, billets or tokens (tesserae) were in such cases thrown in their stead, upon which the name and quantity of the article to be received was inscribed, accompanied by a written order for the same, payable to the bearer upon presentation at the magazine of the donor. Suet. Nero, 11. Turneb. Advers. xxix. 9.