Roman Carnelian Gemstone with the Goddess Spes

2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.

1/2 in. (0.74 grams, 13 mm).

Standing and facing left with her right hand raised an holding a budding flower; inscription in Greek 'KAΛ(OΣ)' (= beautiful) on the left.

Provenance

Ex R. Sebastia Coch (1908-1969) collection, Barcelona; thence by descent.
English art market, 2018.

Accompanied by a copy of an Art Loss Register certificate no.S00143341.

Literature

Cf. Boardman, J., Greek Gems and Finger Rings, Early Bronze Age to Late Classical, London, 1970 (2001), nos.228, for similar.

Footnotes

Spes (Elpis in Greek) was honoured as a goddess since ancient times, but especially during the Empire the cult of the goddess took on a political value, symbolically representing the confident expectation of a happy imperial succession. From Claudius who had her depicted on coins on the occasion of the birth of his son Britannicus, Spes was then defined in epigraphs with the epithet of Augusta, Augusti, Augustorum and also publica or p(opuli)R(omani), to which were added under the Severi the attributes of perpetua(eternal) and firma(firm).

CONDITION

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LOT 0714