Two adjoining parts of an inked wooden tablet, comprising 13 lines of text to the recessed upper face with two piercings to the lower edge; the reverse with an inked inscription reading 'TESTAMENTVUM / POMPONIMAXIMI' (the will of Pomponius Maximus); the 13 lines of inked cursive text following the grain of the wood, the text containing instructions from a will concerning the inheritance of fields on the Mustulo estate (fundus Mustulo), to a Iulius Dancharrus (son of the testator); a field with eight fig-trees, bought from a Iulius Castricius, and several sheep to 'my beloved daughter Zabullania'. [2, No Reserve]

PROVENANCE:
From an important London collection since 1975.

This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by searcher certificate no. 200269.

PUBLISHED:
Rothenhoefer, P., Neue römische Rechtsdokumente aus dem Byzacena-Archiv / New Roman Legal Documents from the Byzacena Archive, (forthcoming).

LITERATURE:
See Thomas, J. D., Vindolanda: The Latin Writing Tablets, Britannia Monograph Series No 4, London, 1983, for examples of wooden tabulae re-used as writing surfaces; for examples of testamentary documents on wooden tablets that have survived, see FIRA III, p.47, for Anthony Silvanus from 142 AD, also see BGU VII 1695 for Safinnius Herminus; for another from Transfynydd, North Wales, see Arch. Camb. 150, pp.143-156.

FOOTNOTES:
The text is written in a very formulaic language typical of Roman legal-documents (among other things, familia testamenti faciundi erga emit Iul. Maianus: the entire possessions, in order to make a will, was bought by Iul. Maianus).