Roman Bronze Plate Brooch with Animal Heads

Oval in shape; the main subject of the gryllos a youth wearing a horse-head topped helmet, the body a ram's head holding an ear of corn in its mouth, the legs and tail that of a cockerel. 0.34 grams, 11 mm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

According to Plutarch, grylloi had apotropaic properties to ward off the evil eye.

The upper part of a Beneficiarius dedicatory spear or sceptre, comprising a circular-section shaft with an ivy leaf finial, a crescent (lunula) below and the point with triple acorn-shaped spheres; the lower end of the shaft square-section and with a rosette for attaching it to the wooden part, engraved with X-motifs and circumferential lines. 62 grams, 49 cm



Found Cambridgeshire, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The beneficiarii, within the Roman army, were soldiers exempted from menial duties and acting as orderlies of senior officers; they were also charged with particular duties by governors and generals. Their distinctive insignia were decorated spears, often with a point shaped like an ivy leaf. The military stela from Perinth depicting a 3rd century beneficiarius shows a very similar spear, mounted over a particular structure on the midshaft of the spear.

With onion-knop terminals, carinated bow with linear decoration and a separate collar to the base of the bow; wide footplate with pellet decoration; catch-plate and repaired pin to the reverse. 78.6 grams, 92 mm



Found UK. Acquired from Stonegate Antiques, York, 2008. Property of a Nottinghamshire gentleman.