Roman Gilt Bronze Plate Brooch

Of rectangular form, a recessed stamp to one face bearing letters in relief 'LEG I ITAL' for First Italic Legion. 2.5 kg, 27.5 x 13 cm



Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

The Legio I Italica ('of Italy') was a Roman legion formed by Nero on September 20, 66 or 67 A.D. and it was active until the 5th-6th century AD. The emblems of the legion were a running boar and sometimes a bull. Troops of this legion appear on Trajan's Column bridging a river. The main camp of the Legio was Novae, modern Bulgaria, but it operated in most of the imperial provinces, including Britain, where a vexillatio fought in the wars of Septimius Severus between 202 and 204 A.D.

Featuring a shallow piriform bowl, raised neck with movable pinned hinge attached to the hexagonal-section handle and shortened polyhedral knob finial, allowing the handle to be folded into the bowl. 15.5 grams, 14 cm



UK collection, early 1990s and before. Acquired on the UK art market since the early 2000s. From a private collection, Lancashire, UK.

As today, the spoon was used as a measure for dosage in ancient times. Both the cochlear and the ligula could have been used to measure different quantities, particularly in the practice of medicine and in the kitchen. Isidore (Origines, XVI, 26.3) tells us that the cochlear was the smallest unit size and was worth half a drachma.

Modelled facing in the round with naturalistic features. 6.2 kg, 21 cm high



Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.