Roman Pale-Blue Glass Handled Unguentarium with Trail

Rectangular tray with raised ribbed rim, five engraved ring-and-dot decorations to obverse, four short legs to the reverse; a hollow D-section handle with suspension finial to the top. 326 grams, 26.5 cm



UK private collection before 2000. Acquired on the UK art market. Private collection, London, UK. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

A biconical facetted lentoid-section lead sling shot (glans), inscription monogram a combination of letters 'C', 'A' and 'E', for 'C A E S' referring to Julius Caesar. 38.6 grams, 31 mm



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a gentleman collector. Accompanied by an academic paper by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato, dated 4th May 2022 and titled 'Roman Res Publica - Lead Slingshots (glandes) of Caesarian Age - 45 B.C circa'. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

The shot (type IIb of the Völling classification) is marked with the abbreviated name of Julius Caesar; vast quantities were used at the Battle of Munda (or Monda) against the last supporters of Pompey, the leaders of the Optimates, on the 17th March 45 BC. Similar shots were used during Caesar's wars. The slingers of Caesar's age were part of the light infantry. Caesar speaks of his Balearic slingers during the conquest of Gaul. They wore a short tunic, with leather or rope sandals to the feet, and a warm overcoat which could also have been used to store projectiles. They also used a satchel to carry deadly lead-like stones or bullets.

Intaglio shrimp motif with articulated body. 0.60 grams, 13 mm



Acquired on the London art market in the late 1980s-1990s. From the family collection of an East London, UK, gentleman. This lot is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.