Imagine the historical significance of your driver's license, social security card or marriage certificate 2,000 years from now.
This Friday the Harold B. Lee Library will have a ribbon cutting ceremony to open a new exhibit that will feature a set of Roman identification plates dating back to 109 A.D.
"These plates are very important documents for the people of that time," said Roger Layton, communications manager at the library. "There are only a number of these around. They are pretty rare."
The exhibit, titled "Two Ancient Roman Plates: Bronze Military Diplomas and Other Sealed Documents," will open on Friday in the HBLL auditorium at 3 p.m. with John W. Welch giving an opening lecture about the rare documents.
The exhibit is located on the main level of the library and will be on display for about a year.
Shaun McMurdie, art director of the exhibit, said, "These plates have a natural place in the library because they are a historical record of ancient writing and record keeping. It's not every day you are able to see up close such a remarkable set of metal plates from 2,000 years ago."
The plates hold historical significance because they were given to Roman soldiers after 25 years of service. The inscriptions on the plates allowed the soldiers to live as citizens, meaning they could get married or travel wherever they wanted throughout the empire.
"In a way, this pair of sealed plates became this soldier's passport," said Welch, the Robert K. Thomas professor of law. "With Roman citizenship, he enjoyed many of the most prestigious legal and social privileges in the Roman Empire, including exemptions from tax, receiving government appointments and the right to appeal any adverse legal judgments personally to the emperor."
The exhibit offers a rare opportunity to see ancient writing inscribed onto plates, but it is also unique because the particular plates on display have never been broken. Usually the plates are found in fragments and to find a complete set is rare.
"We have here a pair of nearly complete plates," Welch said. "It is rare to find a whole, single plate, let alone a full pair. Few of these plates have survived from antiquity because, after the recipient died, his plates served no further practical purposes, so the plates were melted down and the metal was reused."
A replica of the plates and video presentations will be available to visitors at the exhibit to help enhance their knowledge and understanding about the plates.
"An artist in Salt Lake made a replica of the plates for people to handle and see the physical properties," Layton said. "Also, there will be a video kiosk, which will show the story about the plates and how they affected someone's life."
What: Opening of Two Ancient Roman Plates: Bronze Military Diplomas and Other Sealed Documents Where: HBLL When: Friday, 3 p.m. Cost: Free |
Copyright Brigham Young University 27 Feb 2007
