Brickstamp, Rome Alison E. Cooley AEC/ASHL AN1872.1506.xml Oxford Ashmolean Museum AN1872.1506 (22) AshLI 203 Coll. Ref: 22 Roman catalogue: 386

A circular, orbicular stamp (0.095), complete, with a large orbiculus (0.04)extending into the central section of the stamp, which contains an image of a pine cone. Brick: 0.14+ 0.17+ 0.041-0.043.

There are two lines of letters around the edge of the stamp, running in concentric circles. The brick has been cracked across the centre and repaired. There are occasional interpuncts.

 0.011 (line 1); 0.013 (line 2). Rome Hadrianic (other stamps relating to brick production for Asinius Marcellus date from AD 123, 134, and 141: Setälä 1977: p.70). This brickstamp was 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 Photograph Photograph
operisus doliare Cosmus Quniti Asini Marcelli

Clay-product. Cosmus. Of Quintus Asinius Marcellus.

The text appears to have been stamped in error as OPERIS DOLIA COSMVS rather than OPVS DOLIA(RE) COSMI.

This stamp records the name of the officinator Cosmus and senatorial landowner Q. Asinius Marcellus (PIR2 A1236). The Ashmolean Collection has two other examples of the same stamp: 1872.1507-1508.

Ashmolean Museum Department of Antiquities MS Accession Register 1872.1506 (22); CIL XV, 1 no.856, 9 (from an impression sent by Waldstein) (Dressel 1891).

Online: EDCS-38302809 [accessed 01/04/15]

Setälä P. 1977 Private Domini in Roman Brick Stamps of the Empire. A Historical and Prosopographical Study of Landowners in the District of Rome Helsinki Academia Scientiarum Fennica