tessĕra Copy link Outline I. Most freq., a die for playing, numbered on all the six sidesII. In milit. lang., a square tablet on which the watchword was written ...B. Transf., the watchword, signalIII. Tessera hospitalis, a tally, token, which was divided between two friends, in order that, by means of it, they or their descendants might always recognize each otherIV. A square tablet or block, a checker ...V. A token, ticket, billet for the distribution of corn or money ⓘtessĕra: fem nom/voc sgtessĕrā: fem abl sg • tessĕra, ae, f., = τέσσερες, α (lon. for τέσσαρες, α, four), a square, square piece of stone, wood, etc., for various purposes. I. Most freq., a die for playing, numbered on all the six sides (while the tali, prop. pastern-bones, were marked only on four sides; v. talus; syn. alea): ludere tesseris, Ter. Ad. 4, 7, 21: ut homines ad pilam se aut ad talos aut ad tesseras conferunt, Cic. de Or. 3, 15, 58: tesseras jacere, id. Div. 2, 41, 85; id. Sen. 16, 58: in tesserarum prospero jactu, Liv. 4, 17, 3; Mart. 14, 15, 1; 4, 66, 15; 14, 17, 1: mittere, Ov. A. A. 3, 354; id. Tr. 2, 475; Plin. 37, 2, 6, § 13 al.; cf. Becker, Gallus, 3, p. 257 sq. (2d ed.).— II. In milit. lang., a square tablet on which the watchword was written, a watchword, parole, countersign: tessera per castra a Livio consule data erat, ut, etc., Liv. 26, 46, 1; 7, 35, 1; 7, 36, 7; 9, 32, 4; Auct. B. Hisp. 36, 5; Suet. Galb. 6: it bello tessera signum, Verg. A. 7, 637; Sil. 15, 475: Stat. Th. 10, 17: missam ad se tesseram finxit redeundi, a private token, Amm. 30, 10, 3. — Hence, B. Transf., the watchword, signal: militem levi tesserā colligi posse, Amm. 25, 7, 2 al.— III. Tessera hospitalis, a tally, token, which was divided between two friends, in order that, by means of it, they or their descendants might always recognize each other (the Greek σύμβολα): Ag. Ego sum ipsus, quem tu quaeris ... Ha. Si ita est, tesseram conferre si vis hospitalem, Plaut. Poen. 5, 2, 87; 5, 1, 25; 5, 2, 92: TESSERAM HOSPITALEM CVM EQ FECERVNT, have entered into a bond of friendship, Inscr. Orell. 1079; cf. Becker, Gallus, 2, p. 133 (2d ed.); hence: hic apud nos jam confregisti tesseram, i.e. have broken our friendship, Plaut. Cist. 2, 1, 27.— IV. A square tablet or block, a checker for the construction of pavements, ornamenting garments, etc., Plin. 36, 25, 62, § 187 (al. tessella); Pall. 1, 9, 5; Mart. 10, 33; Plin. 35, 9, 36, § 62.— V. A token, ticket, billet for the distribution of corn or money: frumentariae, Suet. Ner. 11; cf. frumenti, Juv. 7, 174; Mart. 8, 78, 10; and absol., Suet. Aug. 40: nummariae, id. ib. 41.
tessĕra Copy link Outline 1 dé à jouer [marqué sur les six côtés] : s'adonner aux dés, ...2 tessère [tablette portant le mot d'ordre ou les ordres dans l'armée] : ...3 tessère [servant de reconnaissance pour les hôtes entre eux], tessère d'hospitalité : ...4 tessère [en échange de laquelle le peuple recevait de l'argent ou du ...5 tessère [servant à la marqueterie ou à la mosaïque] : . ⓘtessĕra: fem nom/voc sgtessĕrā: fem abl sg • tessĕra, æ, f., 1. dé à jouer [marqué sur les six côtés] : ad tesseras se conferre Cic. de Or. 3, 58, s'adonner aux dés, cf. Cic. Div. 2, 85 ; CM 58 2. tessère [tablette portant le mot d'ordre ou les ordres dans l'armée] : Liv. 26, 46, 1, etc.; it bello tessera signum Virg. En. 7, 637, les ordres circulent, signal en vue de la guerre 3. tessère [servant de reconnaissance pour les hôtes entre eux], tessère d'hospitalité : Pl. Pœn. 901 ; tesseram confringere Pl. Cist. 232, rompre l'hospitalité 4. tessère [en échange de laquelle le peuple recevait de l'argent ou du blé] : Suet. Nero 11 ; Aug. 40 ; Juv. 7, 174 ; Mart. 8, 78, 10 5. tessère [servant à la marqueterie ou à la mosaïque] : Plin. 35, 62 ; Pall. 4, 10, 33.