Roman Tablet and StylusRoman Tablet and Stylus

Episode 2

Imagine using a wax 'tablet' to write on in school - it would be very different!

Romans used tablets for their writing and there are many types in museums today. Some were simple pieces of wood that they wrote on with ink. Others could be frames with soft materials such as lead or wax inside. They would scribe, write, into the surface with a stylus - a pen with a sharp point. We decided that Toadie uses wax tablets as that helped our story. They could re-use them by warming the wax and leaving to cool on a flat surface.

Romans even kept records of everyday happenings and many were found at Hadrian's Wall in the far north of England. You can still see their accounts and personal letters there and they give us a really good idea of how they lived at that time.

Click the picture to see a larger version - you might want to save it or print it too!