Page 40 - Manual of Roman Everyday Writing Volume 2: Writing Equipment

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It is rare to find Roman pens of any material. Reed pens are only
rarely preserved, mainly in Egypt (see e.g. Swift 2017), and one was
found in a cremation grave in Intercisa-Dunapentele (Hungary,
Bilkei 1980, 81 no. 110 with pl. II.110). Metal pens seem to have
been rare in general, and they are often preserved as small tubes,
so they are easily overlooked. Moreover, tube-shaped metal cases
for pens and styli are known and can be virtually indistinguishable
from pens (Fünfschilling 2012, 185). Copper-alloy pens have been
found in urban and military sites and in funerary contexts, mainly
from Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Britain (Božič 2001b, 28). Fig. 22: A Vindolanda-type pen with spiral nib from
Vindolanda, 97–105 CE. © Vindolanda Trust.
Pens could be carried in leather cases together with inkwells and
sometimes with styli (theca calamaria).

Further reading and images:
Božič 2001b; Božič and Feugère 2004, 34–35, 37; Eckardt 2018, 27–29; Jilek
2000; Swift 2017

Also see: fig. 2 (Pompeii still lifes); fig. 12 (S. Egidio); fig. 15 (Codex Amiatinus).

Selected ancient literary evidence:

Cicero (Q. fr. 2.14 [15b].1) promises his brother that he will use a good
pen, well-mixed ink and fine paper (charta) this time because Quintus
complained that he could hardly read his last letter. Persius (Sat. 3.10–20)
has a hungover student lament a bad-quality pen that creates a mess on
the parchment. Quintilian (Inst. or. 10.3.31) says that having to dip the pen
into the ink interrupts the flow of the thoughts. Martial (14.38) praises
the quality of Egyptian reed for pens. Symphosius wrote a riddle about the
ink pen (Aenigmata 2).
Fig. 21: A selection of metal inkpens from Germany and Italy
(1: Butzbach, 2: Mainz, 3: Mainz-Weisenau, 4: Bingen, 5:
Aosta). From Fünfschilling 2012, 178 fig. 16 (1: Römisch-
Germanisches Zentralmuseum Mainz, inv. O.6846, photo by
René Müller; 2–4: after Lindenschmit 1911, pl. 53,985–987;
5: after Božič 2001b, 28), courtesy of Augusta Raurica.