Description

The Artifact

c. 200 CE
Silver Denarius
Obv: Head of Apollo
Rev: Two mounted horsemen. C. Servilius Vatia below.

About Keys

Romans mainly used keys to open doors, chests, and padlocks. They were also sometimes given as items of value, whether in a marriage or a funeral. Roman keys typically were only owned by the middle and upper classes because they were the ones who had something of value to protect. This kind of key was often worn around the owner’s finger as a ring as a way of keeping it close as well as showing off that the owner had something of value to protect. This key has been dated to circa 200 AD by its unique shape and unlocking mechanism. The key works by unhooking a set of small tumblers from a bolt. The key is then slid, bringing the bolt into the “unlocked” position and allowing the door, chest, or padlocked to be opened. The bolt is then returned to the “locked” position by sliding the key back into place and pulling it out, at which point the small tumblers are pushed back into the bolt by a spring mechanism.