Roman school scene

The ancient grammatici were probably brought to Rome as private tutors employed by noble Roman families. The schools of the grammatici may have developed from that practice. It wasn’t compulsory to attend these schools and they did not receive public funds. In the so called school relief, you can see a teacher, who can presumably be identified as a Greek due to his beard and fine curls, instructing pupils of different ages. The finer robes and the scrolls of the boys who are sitting signify older pupils, whereas the standing boy clothed in a simple tunic holding a bunch of writing tablets seems to be a younger student.

The fragment counts among the many relief stones dating from the 2nd to 4th century AD - originally designed as Roman tombstones - which were installed in the basement of the castle at Neumagen-Drohn and rediscovered during excavations in the late 19th century.