A pair of ancient Roman six sided bone dice (Latin: tesserae). The one on the right is a trick or loaded die, having the numbers 4, 5, and 6 repeated twice.
Ca. 1st century BC - 2nd century AD.
Maximum width: 9 mm.
Both intact.
Unusual.
Gambling with dice, though actually illegal except during the festival of the Saturnalia, was a very popular pastime among the Romans. When four dice were thrown, the highest roll was Venus (four sixes), the lowest was canis (four ones). Dice were also used in a variety of board games like Duodecim Scripta.
Confer: Naples Museum, inv. 552, 115530, 116480, 119371., illustrated in "Pompeii, AD 79" (Boston 1978) p. 193; J.P.V.D. Balsdon, Life and Leasure in Ancient Rome (New York 1969) p. 156.
GUARANTEED AUTHENTIC
Inv.#: RO1439
$850
Roman 'Loaded' Bone Dice
HIXENBAVGH
ANCIENT ART
Inv.#: 1933A
SOLD
