Page 94 - Manual of Roman Everyday Writing Volume 2: Writing Equipment

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Further reading and images: was rolled up. They normally presented a short title of the work
and/or the name of the author.
Božič and Feugère 2004, 40-41
Lead discs: Drescher 1989 Such title tags are known from archaeological, literary and
Compasses/dividers: Božič 2001a; Fünfschilling 2012, 196–197 iconographic evidence. Actual tags survive, mainly from Oxyrhynchos
Measures: Fellmann 2009, 37–39; Gostenčnik 1998; Heinz 1991 in Egypt dating to the 1st–3rd/4th centuries CE (Dorandi 1984,
Folding measures: Deschler-Erb 1998, 144; Feugère 1983 195–199; Caroli 2007, 30–31). They were used for literary works (e.g.
P.Oxy. 301, 1091 still attached, 3318) and possibly also for documents
Also see: fig. 3 (Berlingen); fig. 15 (Codex Amiatinus).
(e.g. P.Oxy. 381, 957, 958). Moreover we know that tags were used
in Cicero’s library (Cic. Att. 4.4a.1 and 4.5.4, and see Caroli 2007,
42–45) and they also seem to be visible in a numer of depictions
Selected ancient literary evidence:
of rolls, for example in book buckets (see e.g. Turner and Parsons
Compasses: The use of the circinus (compasses) is not mentioned in the 1987, 34 with fig. 9).
context of writing in Latin literature. Caesar (Gall. 1.38.4) says of the
location of Vesontio that the river Doubs surrounds it as if drawn with
a circinus. Vitruvius (1.1.4) says that the use of compasses is one of the
things mathematics contributes to the skills of an architect.

Lead and rulers: See Catullus (22.8) for Suffenus’ papyrus and
parchment with lines drawn with lead. A number of poems in
the Anthologia Palatina (6.62–66) mention lead and/or a ruler
amongst the writing implements dedicated by retiring writers.

e) Accessories to help with storage and filing: labels
(sillyba/indices/tituli) and separators

Papyri, parchment and writing tablets were stored in containers,
on shelves and in cupboards. To make it easier to find a specific
document, the edge of tablets could be written on directly. For
papyrus, small labels (sillyba) were attached to one end of the roll.

Sillyba (sometimes sillyboi/sittyba, on the variants of the word see
Caroli 2007, 31–38) or indices/tituli are rectangular pieces of papyrus
or parchment of c. 2–3 cm wide and varying in length. They were Fig. 69: Placement of sillyba. Redrawn by A.
usually glued to the roll so that they were visible when the papyrus
Willi after Caroli 2007, 30 fig. 5–6.