Early Roman bronze fibula, Roman Empire, ca.1st-3rd century AD. This piece is intact, with the pin intact. 41mm long, 15mm tall, 9.13 grams. Found in Hungary.A Fibula (Latin "to fasten") is an ancient brooch. Technically, the Latin term fibulae refers specifically to Roman brooches, however, the term is widely used to refer to brooches from the entire ancient and early medieval world that continue Roman forms. Unlike most modern brooches, fibulae were not only decorative, they originally served a practical function: to fasten clothes, including cloaks. Fibulae replaced straight pins that were used to fasten clothing in the Neolithic period and Bronze Age. In turn, fibulae were replaced as clothing fasteners in the Middle Ages by buttons. Their descendant, the modern safety-pin, remains in use today.