Ancient Roman Gold Ring with Intaglio of Faustulus and Romulus

$3,727.95

A fine ancient Roman gold ring comprising of a round section hoop with expanding shoulders and an oval bezel marked by an internal groove. The ring is enriched by an amethyst which displays a deep purple colour and a wide, horizontal white band. The stone is finely carved with the image of two male figures. To the right, an old man is depicted with his back hunched, holding onto a cane and possibly carrying an object onto his shoulders. In front of him stands a naked young boy who carries a tall palm frond. In Roman mythology, the palm branch was a symbol of eternity and triumph, seen as a favourable omen linked to the legends of the origins of Rome. This allows to identify the two figures as Romulus, the mythological founder of Rome, and Faustulus, the shepherd who found him and his twin brother Remus along the banks of the Tiber River, as the infants were being nursed by the she-wolf.

Closest UK ring size: J.

Date: Circa 1st - 3rd century AD
Condition: Very fine condition. Some signs of ageing on the gold behind the bezel.

In stock

SKU: MG-203 Category: Tags: , ,

According to the legend, Romulus and Remus were the sons of Rhea Silvia, the daughter of King Numitor of Alba Longa, and the war god Mars. Before the birth of the twins, Rhea Silvia dreamt of her future sons in the form of two palms trees with majestic fronds raising up to the sky. The usurper Amulius ordered for the infants to be drowned in the Tiber River to dispose of any potential claimants to the throne, however the trough in which they were placed floated and stranded near the site of the future Rome. There, a she-wolf suckled them until they were found by the shepherd Faustulus. Reared by him and his wife, the twins grew up and restored their grandfather to the throne, and eventually founded a town of their own. After quarrelling about the exact site, Romulus settled on the Palatine Hill and began building a wall, though Remus jumped over it, at which the furious Romulus killed him, becoming the first king of the newly founded Rome.

To find out more about intaglios please visit our relevant blog post: Engraved Gemstones in Ancient Rome

Weight 9.03 g
Dimensions W 1.7 x H 2.1 cm
Culture

Region

Metal

Semi-Precious Stones

You may also like…