Judgement of Paris on Roman mosaic
Roman mosaic from the 2nd century CE showing the so-called “judgment of Paris”. The object comes from Antioch (southern Turkey). In the mosaic, we see the goddess Juno, who is depicted next to Minerva and Venus.
The mosaic depicts the moment when Paris was asked to settle a dispute about which of the goddesses is the most beautiful. Juno promised him that if he chose her, then he would become an outstanding and wealthy ruler; Minerva, in turn, will be the smartest and most victorious man. Venus, on the other hand, promised him the most beautiful woman on earth – Helena. Finally, Paris chose Venus and thus contributed to the Trojan War, as Helena was already the wife of the king of Sparta.
