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_900x900.jpg "Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope")
_200x200.jpg "Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope")
.jpg "Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope")
LOT 0006
Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope
2ND-3RD CENTURY A.D.
5/8 in. (1.24 grams, 16.27 mm).
Frieze depicting a seated Alexander the Great holding a ring or collar towards a philosopher emerging from a cauldron; supplied with a museum-quality impression. [No Reserve]
ProvenanceFrom the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
FootnotesDiogenes of Sinope (c. 412-323 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynicism. He became famous for rejecting wealth, comfort, and social rules, choosing instead to live with very few possessions. He is often said to have lived in a large ceramic jar in Athens, sometimes described as a barrel or tub. Known for his sharp wit and simple way of life, he is also remembered for telling Alexander the Great to step out of his sunlight.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
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LOT 0006
Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope
Sold for (Inc. bp): £169
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Roman Carnelian Gemstone with Goddesses
2nd-3rd century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
Intaglio scene with two standing female figures, Minerva with helmet and spear beside Abundantia with an amphora; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 2.48 grams, 22.32 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s. -
Roman Square Glass Flask
1st-4th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £338
With a dimple to the underside, a square-section body and a wide everted rim with a step to the edge. 81 grams, 93 mm
From a specialist collection of glass, acquired from dealerships during the 1990s. -
Roman Terracotta Bullae, Tesserae or Token Group
3rd century B.C.-1st century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £221
A mixed group of ceramic bullae, tesserae or theatre tokens bearing low-relief motifs, mainly consisting of profile busts of deities. 35 grams total, 15-22 mm
From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.
The term 'tessera' was used in Roman times to convey the Greek term σύμβολον (token). Small tiles are known as tokens, often shaped like coins, made of metal (copper, lead, iron), clay, bone, wood, or glass, stamped as well as engraved. The tokens, however, are not exclusively coin-shaped, as the Latin term 'tessera' suggests by etymologically referring to a square or at least a four-sided shape and confirmed in several cases by material remains of the past. Tokens and tesserae seem to have been used both in Athens and Rome for the distribution of goods. According to written sources, the term token is identified with credentials of the official authorities. They have also been interpreted as tokens of identity, as entrance tickets to theatre performances, tribunals or assemblies of citizens, archival material of seal engraving, as pawns in games, Charon’s obols and even as amulets.
