Inscriptions for inscribers: texts on Roman writing equipment

Inspired by the recent find of an inscribed stylus at London’s Bloomberg site, this article provides a survey of Roman styli, inkwells and wax-spatula handles with inscriptions. After a discussion of the geographical and chronological distribution of the three main text categories (owners’ marks, makers’ marks and longer texts/gifts), those objects that can be considered gifts and that were inscribed with personal or witty sentences are discussed in more detail. They are part of the Roman tradition of gifting inscribed instrumentum but very rare compared to other object types such as fibulae or spoons. Their distribution shows a cluster in Germania superior, suggesting that they represent a fashionable trend in this area from the second/third century A.D. onwards. A closer examination of design, material, texts and find contexts reveals that inscribed styli in particular were custom made skilfully and used as gifts amongst a literate civilian «elite»