In the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, fibulae (or brooches) were originally used for fastening garments. They came in a variety of shapes, but all were based on the safety pin principle. Roman conquests spread the use of the fibula, which became the basis for more complicated brooches.
The boar played a relevant role in ancient Greek and Roman culture. It was often associated with its capacity to destroy humans and crops, with boar hunting consequently becoming a popular pastime amongst Romans as it was considered to be strengthening for the body and mind. The boar was also a recurring motif in myths: hunting down the Erymanthian Boar was Hercules’ fourth labour, and the hunt of the Calydonian Boar had made a name for Atalanta’s skills.
For more information on Roman animal symbolism, please see our blog post: Animal Symbolism in Roman Art.
