Perhaps the D20 system is older than we guessed

[Zinovia]

I didn't find anything about this on a search of ENWorld so figured I had to post it. Apologies if it's old news.

From the Christies auction house:

A ROMAN GLASS GAMING DIE
PRICE REALIZED
$17,925

A ROMAN GLASS GAMING DIE
Circa 2nd Century A.D.
Deep blue-green in color, the large twenty-sided die incised with a distinct symbol on each of its faces
2 1/16 in. (5.2 cm.) wide
PRE-LOT TEXT
THE PROPERTY OF A
MARYLAND FINE ARTS PROFESSOR
PROVENANCE
Acquired by the current owner's father in Egypt in the 1920s.
LOT NOTES
Several polyhedra in various materials with similar symbols are known from the Roman period. Modern scholarship has not yet established the game for which these dice were used.

Also an article on wired.

 

[Henrix]

It's a nice die, even though it was up here many times when it was sold in 2003, and again last week or so (when BoingBoing mentioned it, I think).

It's not particularily unique, though, there are several like it.

Personally I'd love a copy, even though I'd have some trouble with using the greek letters as numerals.

 

[Psion]

It's a nice die, even though it was up here many times when it was sold in 2003, and again last week or so (when BoingBoing mentioned it, I think).

I was about to say... very, very scooped.

Still cool, though.