Curiosities of ancient Rome (Artifact)

Limestone sculpture depicting a lion. The object dates back to the times of the Roman Empire. The artifact is located in Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (Denmark), and was discovered in northern Italy.

Roman sculpture showing Mercury (Greek equivalent – Hermes), the so-called herma. Herms were born in Greece, where they traditionally depicted the very popular god Hermes (hence their name).

Roman head of Hercules. The marble object is probably dated to the 2nd century CE and was discovered in Rome. According to researchers, the damage on the right side of the face indicates that the sculpture depicted a hero with his right hand raised and in the left he was holding his favorite weapon – a club. The artifact is located in Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen (Denmark).

Preserved Roman tablet confirming that a “full-grown North African girl in the best condition” was sold to the sailor Titus Memmius Montanus for 625 denarii, about two and a half times the basic annual salary of a marine.

Scene from Trajan’s Column showing the testudo (“turtle”) formation during battle. The object is located in the National Museum of Romanian History in Bucharest.

An uncovered sword made of wood, which was probably the toy of a young Roman who pretended to be a legionary. The object dates back to the 1st-4th century CE; discovered in London (England). The artifact is in the British Museum.

Marble sculpture showing a sitting large dog, the so-called molossus. It is a Roman copy of an original made of bronze in Greece. Dogs of this breed were mainly defensive and guarding, but they were also used in amphitheater arenas and during hunting.

Roman marble relief showing captured weapons: armor, shields, swords, battle axe, quiver of arrows, ram’s head. The object dates back to the 1st-2nd century CE. The artifact is in the British Museum and was discovered in Rome.

Roman tombstone showing Marcus Favonius Facilis of the 20th Legion. The stone used to create the tombstone was imported from France, and the man’s memorial site was commissioned by Mark’s freed slaves. Marcus Favonius Facilis was a young centurion and was depicted with a cloak and the famous rod (vitis), which was a sign of function and an instrument of punishment.

Roman tombstone showing the standard-bearer Genialis Clusiodi, who acted as an imaginifer. His task was to carry a banner with an image of the emperor – probably Claudius or Nero. The man holds a scroll in his other hand. The object dates back to the mid-1st century CE; the artifact is in the Landesmuseum Mainz (West Germany).