Roman Silver Ring with Apollo Intaglio , Circa 1st Century AD

A solid silver finger ring with expanding arms and ellipsoid bezel housing inserted intaglio with bust of Apollo 8.75 grams, 22.90 mm overall, 17.06mm internal diameter. Property of a European gentleman acquired by descent. Very fine condition. Borrowed directly from Greek mythology, Apollo was a Roman god that inspired music, poetry, and artistic creativity. A law-giver and healer, Apollo brought order to humankind and was the source of all medical knowledge. Furthermore, Apollo served as the chief patron of prophets, the source of the gift of prophecy. He was thought to reside at Delphi, the centre of oracular thought in the ancient Mediterranean.While the Romans almost always adopted their deities from Greek and Etruscan counterparts, they typically took the effort to Romanize them. Apollo bucked this trend, however, retaining his status as a foreigner and an outsider; as such, his original mythology remained largely unchanged. Apollo?s incorporation into Roman mythology underscored the Romans? conception of themselves as the rightful inheritors of Greek culture.Despite his foreignness, Apollo was much beloved by the Romans, who viewed him as a source of political stability and medical knowledge, as well as a guardian against infectious disease.

Weight: 8.75 g