Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Tessera

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. 

TES'SERA (κύβος). A square piece of stone or composition for making pavements. (Plin. H. N. xxxvi. 62. Pallad. i. 9. 5.) Same as TESSELLA.

2. Tessera lusoria. A die or dice, for playing games of chance and skill, consisting of a small cube of ivory, bone, or wood, and numbered on the six sides, like our own. (Plin. H. N. xxxvii. 6. Cic. Div. ii. 41. Mart. xiv. 17. Ov. Trist. ii. 473.) It was customary to play with three tesserae, which were cast out of a box (fritillus); and the highest throw was when all the three presented a different number; the worst one when all came up the same; as three aces, for instance. The example (Tessera/2.1) is from an original of ivory found at Herculaneum. Compare TALUS, 1.

3. Tessera hospitalis (σύμβολον). A tally or token of mutual hospitality and friendship; consisting of a small die, which was given by a host to his guest at the time of departure, when it was broken into two parts, each party retaining one-half, in order that if either of them or their descendants should again meet, they might recognize each other, and renew or repay their ancient family obligations. (Plaut. Poen. v. 2. 86 — 93.) The example (Tessera/3.1) is from an original.

4. Tessera frumentaria and nummaria. A voucher or ticket given upon certain occasions by the magistrates to poor people, in exchange for which they received the quantities of bread, corn, wine, and oil, or sums of money inscribed upon it (Suet. Nero, 11. Aug. 40. 41.); or sometimes scattered in a largesse (congiarium) amongst the crowd by the emperors, or wealthy personages, for the purpose of courting popular favour. (Suet. Dom. 4.) They were at first small square tablets of wood, like the left-hand figure annexed (Tessera/4.1), with the number of measures to be received marked upon them; and subsequently round balls like the right-hand figure, hollow inside, and in like manner having the quantity inscribed within them; or containing a written order for the object intended to be presented, when that consisted of some fancy article, instead of eatables or money. This order was payable on presentation at the magazine of the donor, and might be sold or transferred. (Suet. ll. cc. Juv. vii. 174.) Both the examples are from originals found in excavations; the manner of distributing them is shown in the woodcut s. CONGIARIUM.

5. Tessera theatralis. A ticket of admission to the theatre, or other place of public amusement (Mart. viii. 78.), distributed by the duumvir, and entitling the holder to a place at the representation. On it was inscribed the number of the seat, the division and row in which it was situate, and in some cases the title of the play to be performed, as in the annexed example (Tessera/5.1), from an original found at Pompeii, in which the Casina of Plautus is announced for performance, and the place authorized to be taken is the eighth on the second tier of the third cuneus.

6. Tessera militaris (σύνθημα). A billet, or wooden tablet (Polyb. vi. 34.) with the watchword inscribed upon it, which was given out by the officers to their soldiers, in order that they might have a test for distinguishing friends from foes; it was also employed as a means by which the orders of the commander were distributed through the different divisions of an army. Liv. vii. 35. xxvii. 46. Veg. Mil. ii. 7. Virg. Aen. vii. 637. Serv. ad l.

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  Tessera/2.1
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  Tessera/3.1
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  Tessera/4.1
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  Tessera/5.1