Date:

The ornate Roman iron stylus discovered in Londinium

A unique Roman stylus, with the most elaborate and expressive inscription of its kind, is set to go on display for the first time in a new exhibition at the Ashmolean: Last Supper in Pompeii.

It was discovered by MOLA archaeologists during excavations for financial technology and information company Bloomberg’s European headquarters in London, on the bank of the river Walbrook – a now lost tributary of the Thames. The iron stylus – used to write on wax-filled wooden writing tablets – dates to around AD 70, just a few decades after Roman London was founded.

- Advertisement -

The Bloomberg dig uncovered more than 14,000 artefacts revealing what life was like for the first Londoners, including the first written reference to the name of the city. 600 of the finds are now on display at London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE.

Of over 200 styluses recovered from the site, only one was found to have an inscription. Inscribed styluses are exceptionally rare: archaeologists have found only a handful of examples from across the whole Roman Empire to date, and the Bloomberg inscription is the finest, unparalleled in the length, poetry and humour of its inscription.

The inscription has been painstakingly examined and translated by classicist and epigrapher Dr Roger Tomlin. It reads:

‘ab urbe v[e]n[i] munus tibi gratum adf(e)ro acul[eat]um ut habe[a]s memor[ia]m nostra(m) rogo si fortuna dar[e]t quo possem largius ut longa via ceu sacculus est (v)acuus’

- Advertisement -

‘I have come from the City. I bring you a welcome gift with a sharp point that you may remember me. I ask, if fortune allowed, that I might be able (to give) as generously as the way is long (and) as my purse is empty.’
In other words: the stylus is a gift to remind the recipient of its sender; the sender acknowledges that it is a cheap gift and wishes that they could have given more. Its tongue-in-cheek sentiment is reminiscent of the kinds of novelty souvenirs we still give today. It is the Roman equivalent of ‘I went to Rome and all I got you was this pen’, providing a touching personal insight into the humour of someone who lived nearly 2000 years ago.

The letters of the inscription are tiny and exceptionally difficult to read, and their survival reflects both the excellent preservation of the Roman artefacts from Bloomberg and the careful work of MOLA’s conservators. It is possible that similar inscriptions on other Roman styluses have simply not survived or been identified.

The inscription even contains spelling errors from which it is possible to get a sense of the scribe’s train of thought. The final –m in nostram, for instance, has been missed off where they appear to have run out of space.

As ‘the City’ referred to is very likely Rome, the stylus suggests a direct link between Roman Italy and the province of Britannia. At this time Londinium lay near the edge of the Empire but, far from a being a provincial backwater, it had grown into an important centre for commerce and governance, interconnected with the wider Roman world.

The stylus and its inscription highlights the crucial role that writing and literacy played in allowing traders, soldiers and officials to keep in contact with peers, friends and family, some of whom lived over a thousand miles away.

MOLA Senior Roman Finds Specialist Michael Marshall said: “Research into the Roman artefacts from Bloomberg continues to uncover exciting information. This unique inscribed stylus provides a new window on Londinium’s international connections and its literary culture, but it also provides us with very tangible human connection to the owner and to the person who gave them this affectionate, if inexpensive, gift.”

Pliny the Elder’s favourite wine: inscribed barrel lid naming prized grape variety also going on display
Another fascinating object found by MOLA archaeologists during their excavations at Bloomberg is also set to go on display for the first time in the Ashmolean exhibition: a wine barrel lid. Its inscription sheds light on what the barrel’s contents once were, where it came from, and even who may have made it.

Inscribed Roman wine barrel lid found by MOLA archaeologists during excavations for Bloomberg’s European headquarters in London (c) MOLA

The first word of the inscription – AMIN – reveals that the barrel once contained wine made from Amineum, the finest grape variety available according to Pliny the Elder, which was also used in the famous Falernian wine from the Bay of Naples. This is believed to have packed quite a punch, with an alcohol content of 16%, and was aged for 15–20 years before drinking.

The lid’s inscription also names the origin of its contents – MASSIL, short for Massil(itanum), the Roman name for Marseilles – and the names of two people: Cornelius, who probably made or shipped this wine from Provence, and Messor, who may have made the barrel.

Last Supper in Pompeii: A major exhibition telling the story of the ancient Roman city of Pompeii’s love affair with food and wine

Opening on the 25 July 2019 at the Ashmolean in Oxford, Last Supper in Pompeii is a chance to see over 400 rare objects, including fine masterpieces of Roman art which range from the luxury furnishings of Roman dining rooms to the carbonised food that was on the table when Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Everything from the exquisite mosaics and frescoes in the villas of the wealthy to the remains found in kitchen drains, show what the Pompeiians loved to eat and drink. This remarkable exhibition reveals extraordinary details of their everyday lives. Further details can be found on the Ashmolean website.

Header Image – A unique inscribed Roman stylus uncovered by MOLA archaeologists during excavations for Bloomberg’s European headquarters in London. The inscription has been highlighted in yellow (c) MOLA.jpg

- Advertisement -

Stay Updated: Follow us on iOS, Android, Google News, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, TikTok, LinkedIn, and our newsletter

spot_img
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan
Mark Milligan is a multi-award-winning journalist and the Managing Editor at HeritageDaily. His background is in archaeology and computer science, having written over 8,000 articles across several online publications. Mark is a member of the Association of British Science Writers (ABSW), the World Federation of Science Journalists, and in 2023 was the recipient of the British Citizen Award for Education, the BCA Medal of Honour, and the UK Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
spot_img
spot_img

Mobile Application

spot_img

Related Articles

Aerial photographs indicate an enormous Avar-Era cemetery

An analysis of aerial photographs has led to the discovery of a previously unknown Avar-era cemetery on the outskirts of Tatabánya, Hungary.

Excavations reveal a vast Roman villa complex

Archaeologists from Inrap have revealed a vast Roman villa complex during excavations in Auxerre, France.

Unprecedented Roman discovery in Ireland

Archaeologists have made an unprecedented Roman discovery during excavations at Drumanagh in north Dublin.

Exquisite marble sarcophagus unearthed near Caesarea

Archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), working on behalf of the Caesarea Development Corporation, have unearthed an exquisitely sculptured marble sarcophagus near the coastal city of Caesarea, Israel.

Viking-Era boat burial uncovered on Senja

Archaeologists have uncovered a Viking-Era boat burial on the island of Senja in northern Norway.

Mystery of the Maka Lahi Rock finally solved

In 2024, researchers from Australia's University of Queensland discovered a giant 1,200-tonne rock more than 200 metres inland on the island of Tongatapu.

Secrets to crafting the Nebra Sky Disc revealed

Using a blend of forensic material analysis with experimental archaeology, researchers have successfully reconstructed the techniques and processes behind crafting the Nebra Sky Disc.

Royal tomb unearthed in Gordion could belong to King Midas’ family

Archaeologists from the Gordion Project have uncovered a Phrygian royal tomb, potentially belonging to a member of King Midas' Family from the 8th century BC.