Roman gem depicting an eagle

ITEM: Gem depicting an eagle
MATERIAL: Stone
CULTURE: Roman
PERIOD: 1st - 3rd Century A.D
DIMENSIONS: 15 mm x 13 mm
CONDITION: Good condition
PROVENANCE: Ex French private collection, acquired between 1970 - 1990

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 3 to 5 weeks and has a cost of 5% of the hammer price, this amount will be added to the final invoice.

The eagle, as a motif, was closely associated with the Roman Empire, representing strength, sovereignty, and the divine favor bestowed upon the emperor. In Roman iconography, the eagle was commonly seen as the emblem of Jupiter, the king of the gods, and later became the symbol of the Roman imperial power, particularly during the reign of Augustus and subsequent emperors. These gemstones featuring the eagle were often worn as personal seals or used in official documents to authenticate the status and identity of the wearer.

The representation of the eagle in Roman gem engraving was highly stylized and carefully executed. Typically, the eagle would be depicted with its wings spread, symbolizing its dominion over the air and its role as a messenger between the gods and humans. The bird’s sharp beak and talons were emphasized, reinforcing its fierce and predatory nature. Sometimes, the eagle was shown holding a thunderbolt or a laurel wreath in its talons, further connecting it to the divine realm and to the victorious nature of Roman rule. These gems were not just ornamental but carried deep political and symbolic significance, often signifying loyalty to the emperor or allegiance to the Roman state.

The use of eagle imagery on Roman gems was widespread across various periods of Roman history, particularly during the height of the Empire. Such gems would have been worn by senators, soldiers, and imperial officials, and were also used by the emperor himself to communicate messages of power and legitimacy. The association between the eagle and the emperor’s divine right to rule was a central theme in the propaganda of the Roman Empire, and the eagle motif served as a reminder of the emperor's connection to the gods and his role as the protector of Rome and its people.