Roman Zeus Statuette Hand Holding Thunderbolt

A pair of bifacial bronze military diploma fragments bearing Latin text: fragment A, side 1: 'CAEL[IBES] / DVM [TAXAT]'; side 2: 'NI[- - -] MAX'; fragment B, side 1: 'RNESE / CVS'; side 2: 'AL[- - - / - - -] LL'. 7.13 grams total, 21-32 mm



Acquired before 2000. From the collection of a European gentleman living in the UK.

Stylistically, the diploma seems connected with the empire of Hadrian, based in style used in letters M and A. The text of the extrinsecus can be partially reconstructed in the sentences ANTO{NI}NUS AVGVSTVS PONTIFEX {MAX}IMUS... AVT SIQUI {CAEL}IBES ESSENT CUM IIS QUAS POSTEA DUXISSENT {DUM}TAXAT SINGULI SINGULAS (...if they were in celibate then, to the maximum limit of only one (wife) for each...). The diploma gives 'HONESTA MISSIO' (honourable discharge) and Roman citizenship to the veterans of an unknown unit, also granting them permission to marry. The text of the internal side (intus) should report the dating, and the names of the soldiers and witnesses.

An acephalic seated marble dog carved in the round with anatomical detailing; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 24.4 kg total, 46 cm high including stand



Ex Mr U.C. collection, Belgium, formed in the 1950s. English private collection. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.11630-199755.

A vibrant green-blue glass pyxis with a broadly barrel-shaped body, everted foot and shoulder, domed inverted neck; areas of iridescence; repaired. 42 grams, 85 mm high



Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private collection since 1998.

Originally used principally by women to hold cosmetics, jewellery or even poisonous substances, some pyxides have even been identified as ink pots. Most surviving examples are Green terracotta examples.