Roman Glass Bead Necklace String

With vertical leaf detailing to the bowl on a field of pellets with band of egg-and-dart below the ribbed rim, stepped foot; lateral loop handles with T-shaped scrolled panel above. 214 grams, 17 cm wide



Acquired 1979-1999. London collection of the late Mr S.M., thence by descent. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12510-231919. This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

Fusiform with pointed ends, reserved 'LXIII' (LEGIO XIII = 13th Legion) legend. 55.7 grams, 51 mm



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a gentleman collector. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.

The shot (Völling type 1C) is marked with the abbreviated name of Legion XIII, and was probably used at the Battle of Monda (or Munda) against Julius Caesar, 17th March 45 B.C., or against the sons of Pompey, because both the generals (Pompey sons and Caesar) had in their army a Legio with the numeral XIII on that day. Interestingly, other glandes of the same typology from the same battlefield bear the name of Pompey, so that it is much possible that the glans belongs to the Legio XIII of Pompey, who was destroyed during the battle and whose survivors were massacred among the 22,000 defenders of Cordoba by the troops of Caesar (D'Amato, 2021, pp.421 and 424). The projectiles were made of different materials: lead (glandes) or in pottery or stone (lapides missiles).

Rectangular in plan with chamfered edges to reverse incuse profile bust of bearded Hercules. 0.62 grams, 12 mm



From the collection of a London antiquarian, formed since the 1980s. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D’Amato.