BRICKTSTAMP, Rome Alison E. Cooley AEC/ASHLI AN1872.1483.xml Oxford Ashmolean Museum AN1872.1483 AshLI 180 Coll. Ref: 1* Roman catalogue: 365

A circular, orbicular brickstamp, with a large orbiculus ( 0.046) extending into the central section of the stamp (0.094). Brick: 0.10+ 0.12+ 0.03+

There is one line of text around the edge of the stamp, and there are very faint traces of a wolf in the centre, punning upon the name of the producer, Rutilius Lupus (Bodel 2005). The brick is damaged on all sides, and its text faded in places, but is analogous in type to the better preserved AN1872.1482 (no.364). For other similar stamps, see also AN1872.1484(2) (no.366), AN1872.1485(3) (no.367), AN1872.1486(4) (no.368).

 Letters: 0.016 Rome AD 114 (consular date) This brickstamp is part of a collection of brickstamps from Rome, Ostia, and Portus given to the Ashmolean by J.H. Parker, Keeper of Antiquities in the Ashmolean Museum (1870-84), after a visit to Rome in the winter months of 1871/2. It is currently in store. Photograph
Brutiana Marci Rutili Lupi Hasta Vopisco consulibus

Brutian product of Marcus Rutilius Lupus. In the consulship of Hasta and Vopiscus.

EDH: Brutiana Marci Rutili Lupi Brutiana Hasta Vopisco consulibus

M. Rutilius Lupus is the earliest known owner of the Brutian brickyards (figlinae Brutianae) (Steinby 1974-75: pp.27-28; Bodel 2005), and he is an important figure in the development of the practice of stamping bricks. He is identified with a high-ranking equestrian, annona-prefect (AD 107-112) and then prefect of Egypt (AD 113-117) (PIR2 R252). At this date, the practice of identifying the date of brickstamps by the year’s consuls appears to have been unique to Rutilius Lupus, although it later became common practice for a short time, during the period AD 123-136. The wolf-motif in the centre of the stamp alludes to the Latin word lupus (wolf), clearly alluding to none other than Rutilius Lupus himself. Bodel suggests that these two distinguishing marks (consular date and wolf-motif) were used as a way of tracking brick production during Rutilius Lupus’ four-year absence from Rome in Egypt (Bodel 2005: p.67).

Ashmolean Museum Department of Antiquities MS. Accession Register 1872.1483 (1*); CIL XV.1 no.19,a6 (from an impression sent by Waldstein) (Dressel 1891)

Online: EDCS-30100259 [accessed 30/10/14]

Bodel J. 2005 Speaking signa and the brickstamps of M. Rutilius Lupus Interpretare i bolli laterizi di Roma e della valle del Tevere: produzione, storia economica e topografica C.Bruun Rome Acta Instituti Romani Finlandiae 32 61-94 SteinbyM. 1974-75 La cronologia delle figlinae doliari urbane Bullettino della commissione archeologica comunale di Roma 84 25-132