Loading, please wait...

Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope
Use mousewheel to zoom in and out, click to enlarge
Details

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]

Provenance

From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

Footnotes

Diogenes 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.

CONDITION
VETTING:

TimeLine 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:

TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.

LOT 0006

Roman White Gemstone with Alexander the Great and Philosopher Diogenes of Sinope

Sold for (Inc. bp): £169

Print page

RELATED LOTS
  • Eastern Roman Gold Bead Group on Loop
    Eastern Roman Gold Bead Group on Loop
    3rd century B.C.-3rd century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £46

    Comprising four annular beads on a later gold-coloured loop. 0.21 grams, 5 mm



    Ex private British collection, formed in the 1980s. Property of a West Northamptonshire, UK, gentleman.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Orange Jasper Gemstone with Clasped Hands
    Roman Orange Jasper Gemstone with Clasped Hands
    2nd-3rd century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £208

    With intaglio motif of two hands clasped beneath a vase on a pillar flanked by cornucopiae; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 0.65 grams, 13.22 mm



    From the private collection of a European gentleman (1942-2024), formed since the 1970s.

    Lot Details

  • Roman Marble Head of a Veiled Goddess
    Roman Marble Head of a Veiled Goddess
    1st century A.D.

    Sold for (Inc. bp): £4,680

    With a palla drawn up over her hair, stepped at the rear to indicate a chignon; soft, youthful facial features with fleshy cheeks and a rounded jawline; mounted on a custom-made stand. 1.47 kg total, 18.5 cm including stand



    with Gorny & Mosch, Munich, 21 June 2005, no.344. Private collection, Europe. Accompanied by copies of the relevant Gorny & Mosch catalogue pages. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13198-250132.

    The head comes from a statue that most likely represented a matronly deity, Demeter or Hestia/Vesta, the goddess protector of the home hearth. The latter seems the most likely, as she was usually depicted (as in the Hestia Iustiniani, a prototype often replicated in the Roman era) with a covered head (velato capite), a symbol of modesty and marital virtue for the Roman matron.

    Lot Details

Stay up-to-date with the latest from TimeLine Auctions by joining our mailing list