TĂBŬLAE. This word properly means planks or boards, whence it is
applied to several objects, as gaming-tables, pictures, but more
especially to tablets used for writing. Generally, _tabulae_ and
_tabellae_ signify waxen tablets (_tabulae ceratae_), which were
thin pieces of wood, usually of an oblong shape, covered over with
wax (_cera_). The wax was written on by means of the stilus. These
tabulae were sometimes made of ivory and citron-wood, but generally
of the wood of a more common tree, as the beech, fir, &c. The outer
sides of the tablets consisted merely of the wood; it was only the
inner sides that were covered over with wax. They were fastened
together at the back by means of wires, which answered the purpose of
hinges, so that they opened and shut like our books; and to prevent
the wax of one tablet nibbing against the wax of the other, there
was a raised margin around each, as is clearly seen in the woodcut
on p. 354. There were sometimes two, three, four, five, or even
more, tablets fastened together in the above-mentioned manner. Two
such tablets were called _diptycha_ (δίπτυχα), which merely means
“twice-folded” (from πτύσσω, “to fold”), whence we have πτυκτίον, or
with the τ omitted, πυκτίον. The Latin word _pugillares_, which is
the name frequently given to tablets covered with wax, may perhaps
be connected with the same root, though it is usually derived from
_pugillus_, because they were small enough to be held in the hand.
Three tablets fastened together were called _triptycha_; in the
same way we also read of _pentaptycha_, and of _polyptycha_ or
_multiplices_ (_cerae_). The pages of these tablets were frequently
called by the name of cerae alone; thus we read of _prima cera_,
_altera cera_, “first page,” “second page.” In tablets containing
important legal documents, especially wills, the outer edges were
pierced through with holes (_foramina_), through which a triple
thread (_linum_) was passed, and upon which a seal was then placed.
This was intended to guard against forgery, and if it was not done
such documents were null and void. Waxen tablets were used among the
Romans for almost every species of writing, where great length was
not required. Thus letters were frequently written upon them, which
were secured by being fastened together with packthread and sealed
with wax. Legal documents, and especially wills, were almost always
written on waxen tablets. Such tablets were also used for accounts,
in which a person entered what he received and expended (_tabulae_ or
_codex accepti et expensi_), whence _novae tabulae_ mean an abolition
of debts either wholly or in part. The tablets used in voting in the
comitia and the courts of justice were also called tabulae, as well
as tabellae. [TABELLA.]
TĂBŬLĀRĬI were notaries or accountants, who are first mentioned under
this name in the time of the empire. Public notaries, who had the
charge of public documents, were also called tabularii. They were
first established by M. Antoninus in the provinces, who ordained that
the births of all children were to be announced to the tabularii
within thirty days from the birth.
TĂBŬLĀRĬUM, a place where the public records (_tabulae publicae_)
were kept. These records were of various kinds, as for instance
senatusconsulta, tabulae censoriae, registers of births, deaths,
of the names of those who assumed the toga virilis, &c. There were
various tabularia at Rome, all of which were in temples; we find
mention made of tabularia in the temples of the Nymphs, of Lucina,
of Juventus, of Libitina, of Ceres, and more especially in that of
Saturn, which was also the public treasury.
TAGUS (ταγός), a leader or general, was more especially the name of
the military leader of the Thessalians. He is sometimes called _king_
(βασιλεύς). His command was of a military rather than of a civil
nature, and he seems only to have been appointed when there was a war
or one was apprehended. We do not know the extent of the power which
the Tagus possessed constitutionally, nor the time for which he held
the office; probably neither was precisely fixed, and depended on the
circumstances of the times and the character of the individual.
TĀLĀRĬA, small wings, fixed to the ancles of Hermes and reckoned
among his attributes (πέδιλα, πτηνοπέδιλος). In many works of ancient
art they are represented growing from his ancles (see cut, p. 63);
but more frequently he is represented with sandals, which have wings
fastened to them on each side over the ancles.
[Illustration: Talaria. (From a Statue of Hermes at Naples.)]