- The Roman Abacus was based on the earlier Greek and Babylonian Abacus, except that it was portable and used Roman Numerals.
- Horace (6508 BCE) described a wax abacus in the first century BCE.
History
- The Roman Abacus was the first portable Abacus and was used by Merchants, Engineers and Government Officials.
- Previously, the Babylonians (from 2,700 BCE), the Ancient Egyptians (described by Herodotus in ‘The Histories’ 440 BCE) and the Persians (from 600 BCE), had all used versions of the Abacus.
Museums
- National Museum of Epigraphy, Athens
- The Museum holds the Salamis Tablet, dated to 300 BCE.
- It is the oldest Abacus found so far. It is Greek, and was found on the Greek island of Salamis.
- Romisch-Germanisches Zentarlmuseum, Mainz
- The Museum holds a copy of a Bronze Roman Abacus, dating from the first century CE. The original is held in the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.
Mainz Roman German Museum