Images

Silver mirror with an elaborate relief on the backside depicting an episode of the myth of Phrixus and Helle from the ancient Greek legend of the Golden Fleece, end of 2nd century CE. (Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome)

A Roman stilus, used for incising letters into the soft wax surface of writing tablets, the broad flat end was used for erasing. Roman Empire. (British Museum, London)

Pottery ink-well inscribed with the owner's name, Iucundus, from Londinium (Roman London). The ink was made up using one part of gum-water to three parts carbon black. (British Museum, London)

Wooden writing-tablet, 1st-2nd century CE, from Londinium (Roman London). British Museum, London

Gladiator helmet-shaped dropper flask decorated with "snake thread" trails, found in Cologne, Germany, dated to the 3rd century CE. Römisch-Germanisches Museum, Cologne.

Roman gilt silver fibula in the form of a three-story tripartite gate of rusticated masonry, with a central double-arched entrance flanked by two towers and a draped bust of Sol at the top story, c. 3rd century to early 4th century CE...

Terracotta flask depicting a gladiatorial scene, Roman Empire. Römisch-Germanisches Museum, Cologne.

A votive marble offering in the style of Lysippos from the Daochos Monument at Delphi; over-life-size at 2m tall; Late Classical; c.336- 332 BCE. Agias was the grandfather of Daochos II, who dedicated the monument, and a highly successful...

A Roman theatre mask mosaic, 1st century BCE. From a private villa in the area of Villa Ruffinella, Rome. Palazzo Massimo, Rome.

The head of a statue of Jupiter in the Temple of Jupiter, Pompeii