TESSERA, a email cube or square resembling our dice, which was used by tho ancients for various purposes, and accordingly it consisted of different materials, as marble, precious stones, ivory, glass, wood, or mother-of-pearl. Such small tesserm of different colours were used to form the mosaic floors, or pavements in houses [Mosses], which were hence called teeselata pavimenta. (Sueton., Caesar; 46.) The same kinds of cubes, usually made of ivory, bone, or hard wood, and marked on all their six sides, were used by tho ancients as dice in games of hazard, just as in our times. In tho earlier times three dice wore used in a game, but afterwards only two.
Tho word tessera was able employed to signify any token which was given to persons by which they might recognise one another. In this case however the tesserm were probably small tablets marked with certain signs. Thus we find mention of a tessera hospitalis, which
strangers when forming a connection of hospitality gave to one another, that they or their children might afterwards recognise one another, and it appears that a tessera in this case was marked with the figure of Jupiter hospitalis. (Plautus, PoenuL,' v. 1, 25 ; 2, 87, &e.) Tesserm frumentarim, or nummarize, were occasionally given at Rome to the poor to serve as a token or ticket, on the presentation of which they received a certain amount of corn or money. (Sueton., Aug.,' 40; Nero,' 11.) The Roman soldiers also, before they commenced a battle, received a tessera containing the watchword by which they recognised their comrades, and were enabled to distinguish them from strangers. (Virgil, vii. 637, with the note of Servius.)