Late 3rd-early 4th century AD. A large, untranslated bifacial wooden tabula with four holes to the sulcius to accept binding strips; Side A: featuring a shallow recessed panel with the inner face containing traces of Roman cursive writing with black ink over 27 lines; the ink of most of the text has vanished, and only parts are legible; Side B: On the outer face two recessed bands, one of them with remains of wax; witnesses of a legal document like a will or contract impressed their seals into the wax; they also signed with their names; the beginning of one name still visible, Iulius Flav(ianus?"). For examples of wooden tabulae re-used as a writing surfaces, see Thomas, J. D., Vindolanda: The Latin Writing Tablets, Britannia Monograph Series No 4, London, 1983; for examples of testamentary documents on wooden tablets that have survived, see FIRA III, p.47 for Anthony Silvanus from 142 AD and see BGU VII 1695 for Safinnius Herminus; for another from Transfynydd, North Wales, see Arch. Camb. 150, pp.143-156. Rothenhoefer, P., Neue r?mische Rechtsdokumente aus dem Byzacena-Archiv / New Roman Legal Documents from the Byzacena Archive, (forthcoming"). 124 grams, 26 x 22.5cm (10 1/4 x 9"). Ex Monsieur Alain Sfez collection, Belgium; acquired by gift from his father Albert Sfez, 1965; acquired by Albert in the early 1950s. The contract follows standard Roman legal formulae. Fair condition.