ăbăcus — Lewis & Short
ăbăcus, i (according to ăbax, ăcis; cf. m.,=a)/bac, a^kos, prop.
Prisc. 752 P. also id. p. 688),I a square tablet; hence, in partic.,
I A sideboard, the top of which was made of marble, sometimes of silver, gold, or other precious material, chiefly used for the display of gold and silver vessels, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 16, § 35; 2, 4, 25, § 57; id. Tusc. 5, 21, 61; Varr. L. L. 9, § 46 Mūll.; Plin. 37, 2, 6, § 14; Juv. 3, 2-0-4:
perh. also called mensae Delphicae,Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 59 init. Zumpt; Mart. 12, 67. Accord. to Liv. 39, 6, 7, and Plin. 34, 3, 8, § 14, Cn. Manlius Vulso first brought them from Asia to Rome, B.C. 187, in his triumph over the Galatae; cf. Becker, Gall. 2, p. 258 (2d edit.).—
II A gaming-board, divided into compurtments, for playing with dice or counters, Suet. Ner. 22; Macr. S. 1, 5.—
III A counting-table, covered with sand or dust, and used for arithmetical computation, Pers. 1, 131; App. Mag. p. 284; cf. Becker, Gall. 2, p. 65. —
IV A wooden tray, Cato, R. R. 10, 4.—
V A painted panel or square compartment in the wall or ceiling of a chamber, Vitr. 7, 3, 10; Plin. 33, 12, 56, § 159; 35, 1, 1, § 3, and 35, 6, 13, § 32.—
VI In architecture, a fiat, square stone on the top of a column, immediately under the architrave, Vitr. 3, 5, 5 sq.; 4, 1, 11 sq.