The Dodecahedrons of the Roman Empire

Dodecahedron


No mention of dodecahedrons has been found in contemporary accounts or pictures of the time. Speculative uses include: 
  • A specific type of dice for a game since lost to history. 
  • A magical object, possibly from the Celtic religion. A similar small, hollow object with protrusions was recovered from Pompeii in a box with either jewellery or items for magic. 
  • A toy for children. 
  • A weight for fishing nets. 
  • The head of a chieftain’s scepter. 
  • A kind of musical instrument. 
  • A tool to estimate distances and survey land, especially for military purposes. 
  • An instrument to estimate the size of and distance to objects on the battlefield for the benefit of the artillery. 
  • A device for detecting counterfeit coins. 
  • A calendar for determining the spring and autumn equinoxes and/or the optimal date for sowing wheat. 
  • A candle holder. (Wax residue was found in one or two of the objects recovered.) 
  • A connector for metal or wooden poles. 
  • A knitting tool specifically for gloves. (That would explain why no dodecahedrons were found in the warmer regions of the Empire.) 
  • A gauge to calibrate water pipes. A base for eagle standards. (Each Roman legion carried a symbolic bird on a staff into battle.) 
  • An astrological device used for fortune-telling. (Inscribed on a dodecahedron found in Geneva in 1982 were the Latin names for the 12 signs of the zodiac.)
Source: 

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