A Roman Calendar Piece, Vindolanda Roman Fort, Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland,...

A Roman Calendar Piece, Vindolanda Roman Fort, Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland, 22.12.18.

This small fragment of about 5cm in length is exceptionally rare. Only three calendar devices have ever been found (others include a Celtic one in France and a Roman Menologium in France). On this fragment is written SEPTEMBER, K(alendae), N(onae), ID(us) and AE(quinoctium).

Whilst we don’t know exactly how it was used, Cicero wrote of a similar portable device that used a peg to record the date.

The piece was excavated at the space between the east granaries and the principia (headquarters) of Vindolanda. There is no similar discovery in the UK to date.

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