Catalogue of the finger rings, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman : in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum / by F. H. Marshall.

  • British Museum. Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Catalogue of the finger rings, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman : in the Departments of Antiquities, British Museum / by F. H. Marshall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    ring (i88), which by its size and weight would seem to belong to this same class, has an engraved design of Roma holding a statue of Victory. It is inscribed with the owner’s name—Tepovriov. To this same category may be referred the noteworthy group of rings bearing the inscription CONSTANTINO FI DEM (see Nos. 649 f).^ From a comparison of these rings with a gold ring of similar type inscribed Dipmino) N(ostro) Constanti Augiiisto) N{ovo) A{nno) Fideni^ and with two others inscribed CONSTANI [Constan{t)i]and FIDES CONSTANi respectively,^ it may be conjectured that they were given by the Emperors to officers and that they were worn by them as a memorial of the oath of loyalty which they had taken.^ This is the place to mention the series of rings usually known as ‘Legionaiy Rings’ (see Nos. 655 ffi). They are invariably of bronze and of a very plain form, having a number engraved upon the bezel. Sometimes, in addition to the number, they have a letter (or sign) incised-upon either shoulder (Nos. 668, 672, 674). Occasionally we find an apparently unintelligible .symbol (cf. No. 661). From the nature of the numbers in many cases, e.g., XXCIV. (No. 664), LXiv. (No. 673), etc., it is clear that they are too high- to represent the number of a legion. Most of these rings seem to have been found in the neighbourhood of Rome. On the whoje, the least improbable explanation is that they were given out to the soldiers of a centtcria, and were intended to serve as a ready means of identification.® The Romans, like ourselves, used rings'as tokens of betrothal {anuhis Betrothal pi onu us\ There seems to be no evidence of this custom having existed rings, among the Greeks.^ Pliny says that an iron ring without gem was sent as a ^edge of betrothal even in his day,« but this use of the iron ring would naturally .- 1800' n rlhr p. 331 ff; Kraus, Z?/. cAnsf. Inschr., caf.log» bkv ?No 6«r '■ - Arch. Anz., 1892, p. 174. ’ Mowat, loc. cit. ; Archaeologia, XXL, p. 547 ; ibid. XXIII., p. 366. P 1801 f Cheetham’s Diet, of Christian Antiquities, II., p._ 1801 f., s. V. Dmgs, supposes that these rings have a Christian origin. This view seems founded on a misconception of the meaning of fdes in this instance. PornJvr‘ the habit of bestowing gold rings as a reward is shown by Constantine .ha. p- institor, cum oleum vendidisset anulum arra^n contra.cts. Cf. Dig., XIV., 3, 5, § 15 .- item si .onen. Cf. Th„a„ru, LinguaiLui,m, a. v. ™c““,r4 vaviii., § 12 . intra domum vero ferreis (anulis utelnninrt r,..A v ^ an t i munens vice ferreus anulus mittitur isque sine gemma. ‘-bantui), quo argumento etiam nunc sponsa/i
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