Roman Oil Lamp with Goddess Victoria

In Antiquity, a lamp was originally called lychnus, from the Greek λυχνος, with the oldest Roman lamps dating back to the third century BC. It is thought that the Romans took the idea for lamps from the Greek colonies of Southern Italy. During the Roman Empire, it became commonplace to use lamps in funeral ceremonies and for public purposes. Over time, the manufacture of lamps increased, and so did the variation in decoration, which depended mainly on the shape and size of the lamp. Common decorative themes depicted on the discus were entertainment scenes, such as gladiators in combat, popular myths, and animals. This fine lamp displays the representation of the goddess Victoria: according to Ancient Roman mythology and religion, the goddess Victoria, whose counterpart is Nike in Ancient Greek mythology, was the personified goddess of victory. The high number of artistic and architectural dedications to her bear witness to the popularity of the goddess’ cult: Victoria widely appears on Roman coins, jewellery, architecture, and other works of art.