Synopsis
The Roman Dodecahedron: Secrets, Theories, and Historical Investigations into a Mysterious Roman Artifact, by Nelson Mathew, explores one of archaeology’s most enduring enigmas: the hollow, 12-sided bronze objects found scattered across the former territories of the Roman Empire. Since the first one was unearthed in 1739, over a hundred of these multi-faced, knobbed artifacts have been discovered, primarily in northern Europe and Gallo-Roman regions. Mathew’s book compiles centuries of research, field excavations, and academic debates to provide a comprehensive look at what these objects are, where they came from, and why they continue to puzzle historians.
The narrative details the physical characteristics of the dodecahedrons, emphasizing that no two are exactly identical. Each face features a circular hole of varying size, and every corner is adorned with a small, rounded knob. Mathew highlights the bizarre historical vacuum surrounding the objects: despite Rome's meticulous record-keeping, there is absolutely no mention of them in surviving Latin texts, letters, or stone carvings. The author maps out the geographic distribution of the finds, pointing out that they are conspicuously absent from Italy and the Mediterranean, instead turning up in military camps, coin hoards, and even women's tombs across Britain, France, and Germany.
A significant portion of the book is dedicated to evaluating the myriad of theories that have emerged over the decades. Mathew acts as an objective guide through these hypotheses, detailing arguments that range from the practical to the esoteric. He examines technical theories suggesting the artifacts were used as military rangefinders, pipe gauges, or astronomical calendars to calculate planting seasons. He contrasts these with domestic and cultural explanations, such as their potential use as complex knitting tools for gloves or as ritualistic objects, talismans, and gaming dice. By cross-examining the physical wear and context of the discoveries, the author paints a vivid picture of how modern scholars use experimental archaeology to reconstruct the daily life and hidden secrets of the ancient world.