This panel from a larger mosaic depicts the goddess Diana with two of her nymphs. They appear to have just been surprised by the arrival of the young hunter Actaeon. Things are not about to end well for the mortal!
This C2nd CE Roman relief is part of a celebration of Hadrian’s twentieth year as emperor. A bull is about to be sacrificed. The detail in the relief work is spectacular!
This C2nd CE Roman mosaic suggests the preparation for a feast. On the menu: an array of meats, what looks to be dates (or something else, I’m not sure?), and a good dose of leafy greens!
"I swear by the cluster-bearing delight of Dionysos' vine."
Euripides, Bacchae 535
🏛️ Marble sculpture of #Dionysos found in Italy, dated 2nd century CE. Arms and legs were heavily restored in the 18th century. Today in the Musée du Louvre.
It's the Day of Hermes aka Mercurius Day aka #Wednesday! 🐏
This delightful figure of the #Roman god Mercurius is holding a purse & has a winged feet and a winged helmet. He protected the pay of Roman soldiers, so this figure may have belonged to a soldier.
Chariot mosaic with parrot ~ late C2nd–early C3rd CE
This gorgeous piece was found in
1876 during the construction of Via Nazionale in Rome. It seems to depict a larger-than-life parrot driving a chariot!
@phistorians@histodons@antiquidons@archaeodons I knew I had seen them before a long time ago. Thanks 😊 for putting a name to them. And, if they’re half-goat, I suppose a parrot could tell them where to go, as well as a catfish.
This Severan era portrait is believed to be of an athlete given the emphasis on muscle delineation. Having said that, he doesn’t look like the happiest camper going around!
🏛 Centrale Montemartini (Capitolini AC 4492)
📸 My own
Loving this fragment that shows an octopus seemingly winning a show down with an eel and possibly taking out a large prawn (or relation!) at the same time.