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LOT 0831
Roman Gemstone with Head of Minerva
2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
5/8 in. (0.64 grams, 15 cm).
Carnelian with intaglio profile bust wearing a helmet; supplied with a museum-quality impression.
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
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AUCTIONS:
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Roman Glass Bracelet Group
3rd-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £98
Each a D-section coloured glass hoop with pressed joint. 35 grams total, 55-68 mm
From a family collection mostly formed in the 1940s-1950s, thence by descent. -
Roman Glass Vessel Group
1st-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £65
Dark amber-glass unguentarium with rolled rim, squat blue glass jar with trumpet-shaped mouth. 120 grams total, 6.5-12.7 cm
From a family collection mostly formed in the 1940s-1950s, thence by descent. -
Roman Terracotta Lamp with Fighting Gladiators
1st-2nd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £546
Composed of a discoid body with sunken discus bearing a scene of two gladiators in combat in relief, tabula ansata below, ring handle and roughly D-shaped nozzle with volutes; old crack to base. 84 grams, 12.4 cm
From a German collection. Ex Cambridge, UK, collection, 1980s.
The two gladiators seem to be wearing the armaturae of murmillones. All gladiators began their career as provocatores; the learning of their combat technique was polyvalent and allowed the fighters to specialise as a large shield-bearer (the scutati) like murmillones, or as a small shield-bearer, parmati, like the oplomachus.
