Roman statuette of an eagle

ITEM: Statuette of an eagle
MATERIAL: Silver
CULTURE: Roman
PERIOD: 1st - 3rd Century A.D
DIMENSIONS: 21 mm x 12 mm
CONDITION: Good condition
PROVENANCE: Ex Dutch private collection, acquired before 1990s

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 (aquila) was one of the most powerful symbols of the Roman state, especially within the military. As the standard of the Roman legions, the eagle was carried into battle by a designated officer known as the aquilifer, and its loss was considered a severe disgrace. Typically made of bronze or silver and mounted on a pole, the eagle represented strength, authority, and the divine favor of Jupiter, the chief god of the Roman pantheon. This symbol reinforced the unity of the legion and the supremacy of Rome, inspiring soldiers in both victory and adversity.

Beyond the battlefield, the eagle was also a key emblem in Roman art, coinage, and sculpture, often depicted with outstretched wings to symbolize power and divine protection. It frequently appeared on imperial monuments, reinforcing the idea of the emperor’s connection to Jupiter and his divine right to rule. In funerary contexts, the eagle played a role in the deification of emperors, as it was believed to carry their souls to the heavens upon their deaths. This tradition, known as apotheosis, was visually represented in reliefs and coins, where an eagle is shown soaring skyward with the spirit of the deceased emperor.

The legacy of the Roman eagle endured long after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, influencing the heraldry and symbolism of later states and military institutions. The Byzantine Empire continued to use the eagle in various forms, while medieval and modern European powers, including the Holy Roman Empire and Napoleonic France, adopted the eagle as a symbol of sovereignty and military might.