IANVAE TE |̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅? te(nsae)
"Circus full," "Great shouting," "Doors bursting (?)."
Each word is separated from that opposite it by a flower within a circle. Many such stones are known, always with six words of six letters, so that it seems clear that they were used as boards for a game, possibly the duodecim scripta already mentioned. The pieces used were probably the so-called "contorniates," bronze discs of coin form, with designs in relief on either side within a raised rim and a circular depression. Two examples of these contorniates (in electrotype) are exhibited below the stone board (No. 633). The pieces are of late Imperial date, of about the time of Constantine. Many have subjects closely connected with the circus, a fact which harmonizes well with the inscription on the board described. One of the two exhibited has a head of Alexander and a representation of a chariot race, the other a head of Nero and a water organ (see below, p. [216]).
(630) Cf. Röm. Mitt., 1896, p. 238 ff.; Rev. Arch., 4th Series V. (1905), p. 110 ff.; (631) Röm. Mitt., 1896, p. 227 ff.; (632) Cf. Num. Chron. (4th Series), VI., p. 232 ff.; Notizie degli Scavi, 1887, p. 118.
On ancient toys and games generally, see Becq de Fouquières, Les jeux des anciens; Daremberg and Saglio, s.v. Ludus.
[81:] Herodot., i. 94.
[82:] Anth. Pal. vi. 308:
Νικήσας τοὺς παῖδας, ἐπεὶ καλὰ γράμματ' ἔγραψεν,
Κόνναρος ὀγδώκοντ' ἀστραγάλους ἔλαβεν.
[83:] Pollux, ix. 126 (reading ἐφίσταται and omitting ἤ).
[84:] Cf. Anth. Pal. xiv. 8: