Scrolls
Scrolls of the ancient world - We make history understandable
History of the papyrus scroll, scrolls
The ancient papyrus scroll made its way via Egypt to Greece and Europe.
Scrolls
The papyrus book arrived in Roman markets in rolls, usually consisting of twenty papyrus leaves (kollemata). Scrolls were preferably written on the inside of the roll (recto), where the grain direction of the papyrus ran horizontally and thus offered the least resistance to the writing tube calamus (calamus) or the quill (penna scriptoria). Stories written by ancient life ...
Browse among the reports in German with Roman character set about, for example, Emperor Nero, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius or Ovid's entertaining insights into love ... The described scrolls in the Roman Shop also house classics: Caesar - de bello gallico ... school lessons from authentic Roman scrolls or simply fascinating gifts for the "Roman bookcase"!
Papyrus scrolls in the Middle Ages
Until the Middle Ages, scrolls or volume scrolls - as they were alternatively called - were mainly used for liturgical or proprietary tasks. Even today, however, the scroll still demonstrates the identity-forming sense of tradition in Judaism, for their Holy Scripture, the Torah, is still produced in the form of a scroll.
The scroll today
In the Römer Shop you will also find everything you need to continue the tradition of the scroll. Our scrolls have two wooden bars at both the beginning and the end of the medium. On the one hand, this tensions the writing surface, on the other hand, this device also functions as a practical holding device.
We only use high-quality papyrus as the actual writing medium for the scrolls.
We offer the scrolls with wooden rods in a wide range of sizes. In addition, the Ovid scroll, for example, can be used to motivate a Latin student to do more.
History of the papyrus scrolls
The ancient papyrus scrolls made their way via Egypt to Greece and Europe. The papyrus "book" arrived in Roman markets in rolls, usually consisting of twenty papyrus leaves (kollemata). Scrolls were preferably written on the inside of the roll (recto), where the direction of the fibres of the papyrus ran horizontally and thus offered the least resistance to the writing tube (calamus) or quill (penna scriptoria).
Stories that ancient life screamed... Browse among the reports in German with Roman character set about, for example, Emperor Nero, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius or Ovid's entertaining insights into love ... The described scrolls in the Roman Shop also house classic stories: Caesar - "de bello gallico"...
School lessons from authentic Roman scrolls or simply fascinating gifts for the Roman bookcase!
Scroll - The ancient book
Today, anyone who wants to flaunt their intellectual status has a well-stocked library of scrolls, with books lined up shelf to shelf. The fact that the book itself was able to establish itself in its present rectangular format is due in particular to the demands of printing. In antiquity, a different form of recorded information was preferred: In all advanced civilisations of antiquity, people did not so much turn pages as roll them.
For the requirements of the time, the scroll was able to establish itself as the optimal writing medium. Even today, this form exerts a great fascination, because it symbolises more than a conventional book the secret that is inherent in every written word.
The ancient papyrus roll or scroll is made by gluing together individual sheets (sing. kollema; pl. kollemata). The liquid contained in the papyrus strips serves as the "glue". On average, a scroll, which was also considered a book in antiquity, consists of about 20 sheets and, with a width of about 25 to 30 centimetres, reaches a length of between six and ten metres.
Papyrus the ideal writing material of antiquity
When gluing the papyrus sheets together, the manufacturers made sure that the fibres ran in a uniform direction so that the sheet would be easier to write on later. On the inside, the writing side of the roll (recto side), the fibres of the sheets run horizontally because the kalamos - the ancient quill - can be better guided parallel to the direction of the fibres when writing. On the outside (verso side), where the fibres run vertically, they inhibit the movement of the "pen". Nevertheless, papyrus rolls were also written on the verso side, mostly in secondary use.
Rolls written on both sides are called opistographon. Since the backs were often used by the Romans in antiquity for business or official records, opistographs are often dated. The ancient papyrus scroll was written on with inks of different formulations. It was even possible to erase the inks with a sponge if one had shifted - similar to an ink eraser today. However, there are hardly any papyri that have been completely washed off - unlike parchment, which is often overwritten! (palimpsest).
Write an ancient book!
Why don't you try applying ink to a papyrus scroll yourself with an antique writing instrument? The antique writing material gives you a very special writing feeling!
The empty papyrus roll is placed on one or two wooden sticks made of real beech wood.
The Romans send their regards!
Latin scrolls
The ancient world comes alive: With original Latin texts by ancient authors on a real ancient scroll - also called a book in antiquity! Off to the book world of the Romans!
Here are the myths of the Roman Empire on an ancient book scroll! The epic written by Virgil on the basis of earlier traditions tells, for example, the exciting story of Aeneas' escape from burning Troy. Aeneas' wanderings finally lead him to Latium where he becomes the founder and progenitor of the Romans. Ancient fans and students will be amazed at how entertaining and exciting history can be.
Ancient scrolls with exciting accounts: Vergil at his best
In the Roman Shop, you can buy the antique scrolls including sticks made of real beech wood. The Latin verses (including German translation) are taken from the second book (liber II) and written on real papyrus. The beginning of the ancient text is printed on a length of more than one metre!
And by the way ...
The complete epic of Virgil (written between 29 and 19 B.C.) is written in twelve books in over 10,000 verses.
Experience Romans!
Make Latin and the history of the ancient world a vivid experience for pupils! You can also use the blank scroll craft set - in only about 15 minutes - to let the pupils make and design their own Roman writing!
De Bello Gallico on an authentic scroll
The famous original text de bello gallico also makes a very special gift for any Roman fan or Latin scholar! Plus, the work on real papyrus is fascinating for students in Latin class. Explain the Roman book system to the pupils and pack them with explosive content in Latin: The Gallic War, from the point of view of the victors! Latin texts are fun!
Based on the Roman model - a real discovery tour into antiquity!
The unique Latin scrolls are modelled on ancient texts. The script in the famous de bello gallico is printed in a Latin unicial on real papyrus. The scroll of Imperator Caesar is mounted on a wooden stick made of beech with turned end pieces and fastened with a tituli, "book spine". The German translations are enclosed with the scroll.