One interesting feature of the tablet is the fact that two different handwriting styles, both of them inexpert enough to identify the author as a student, are preserved on it. It could be that two students were sharing this tablet because of a shortage. In addition the name Tullios is recorded on the outside edge of the tablet. Perhaps the teacher (Tullios?) owned this tablet, and two of his students were sharing it.

The doodle may provide evidence for a brief moment of fun shared between students, like a note passed in class. The students may have been drawing a caricature of their teacher, or another authority figure, to provide a brief respite from a boring exercise. Roll over the image below to see the doodle more clearly.