Diana sits in divine nudity with her cloak offering respite from the rock ledge she sits on. She sits before a garlanded altar with a small herm, her quiver nearby.
Claudius makes no bones about being the top dog in Rome with this cameo. He holds Jupiter’s sceptre and thunderbolt and is joined by Jupiter’s eagle. The frame is a later addition from the C16th.
Servius Tullius was touched by fire in more ways than one.
First was his conception (rumour has it that his mother was impregnated by a phantom phallus that appeared in a fire). Then as a child, he was seen wreathed in flame while sleeping. This was interpreted by the queen, Tanaquil, to mean that Servius was destined for great things and must be protected at all costs.
This photo in no way does justice to how detailed and amazing this mosaic is, but it was the best I could find 😭 Depicted: Sol Invictus surrounded by the signs of the zodiac.
📍 Roman villa at Münster-Sarmsheim
🏛 Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn
Detail of the ‘dancing figures’ from the so-called Villa of Cicero at Pompeii. The fluidity of the poses, as though floating in the air, combined with the arresting diaphanous material of their dresses is simply stunning.
✨ Brand New Episode - Where in the World is Carventum? ✨
We dive into the years of 411 and 410 BCE. Tension is rife between Romans when the Volscians and Aequians team up to take the strategic stronghold of Arx Carventum...
This relief was found at Hadrian’s villa in Tivoli. The young man (Castor?) seems to be in a tousle for control with the horse while a dog watches on. Likely Roman in manufacture, but definitely inspired by the Greek style!
This Etruscan fresco is thought to date to c. 475 BCE. It is part of a tomb decoration from Tarquinia, legendary home of the Roman king Lucius Tarquinius Priscus though long after his time!
Roman marble head of Constantine I ~ c. 325–370 CE
The style of this portraiture is thought to be designed to evoke a connection back to the optimus princeps himself, Trajan. It might be a couple of centuries later but he was still the one to emulate!