Roman tessera depicting an eagle

ITEM: Tessera depicting an eagle
MATERIAL: Lead
CULTURE: Roman, Ephesos, Ionia
PERIOD: 2nd - 3rd Century A.D
DIMENSIONS: 14 mm diameter
CONDITION: Good condition
PROVENANCE: Ex Belgian private collection, acquired between 1980 - 1990
PARALLEL: Gülbay-Kireç 75

Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 4 to 6 weeks and has a cost of 5% of the amount of the sale, this amount will be added to the final invoice.

The Roman eagle, or aquila in Latin, was a revered symbol of power, authority, and military prowess in ancient Rome. The eagle was associated with the god Jupiter, the king of the gods, and served as the emblem of the Roman legions and standards. Each legion was typically accompanied by a standard-bearer known as an aquilifer, who carried the aquila into battle as a symbol of the legion's honor, unity, and allegiance to the Roman state.

The aquila was a distinctive and prestigious symbol within the Roman military hierarchy, and its loss in battle was considered a grave dishonor. Roman soldiers swore oaths of loyalty and allegiance to the aquila, and the standard was treated with the utmost reverence and respect. Capturing or recovering a lost aquila became a matter of utmost importance, and Roman commanders would often go to great lengths to retrieve or replace lost standards to restore the honor of the legion.

Depictions of the Roman eagle can be found throughout Roman art, architecture, and iconography, serving as a potent symbol of Roman identity and imperial authority. The aquila was commonly depicted on military standards, coins, monuments, and sculptures, conveying messages of strength, unity, and divine protection.