Images

This wall painting depicts a man reclining at a banquet, drinking from a horn. Said to be from near Pompeii, in modern-day Italy. Roman period, 50-79 CE. Formerly in the collection of Sir William Temple (Painting 40). (The British Museum...

On this bronze drachm of Hadrian, Agathodaemon and Uraeus (snakes sacred to Serapis and Isis) are depicted. Circa 133-134 CE. (The British Museum, London).

Bronze coin of Cleopatra (r. 51-30 BCE), with her portrait and eagle on the reverse. Minted in Alexandria, in modern-day Egypt. (The British Museum, London).

Emperor Vespasian (r. 69-79 CE) issued a large series of coins commemorating the defeat of the First Jewish Revolt (66-70 CE), and Nerva (r. 96-98 CE) made coins to mark the end of abuses in the collection of the tax which Jewish were obliged...

The scene on this terracotta lamp depicts a man and woman having sex. Said to be from near Naples, in modern-day Italy. Roman period, made in Italy, about 10-30 CE. (The British Museum, London).

The scene on this terracotta lamp depicts two satyrs treading grapes. From Herpes, France. Roman period, made in Italy, about 40-80 CE. Signed by the maker Gaius Clodius.(The British Museum, London).

Silver medallion showing the god Jupiter flanked by a male and a female deity. The medallion was perhaps one of a group given to a soldier to wear as a commemorative decoration. Roman period, 2nd century CE. (The British Museum, London).

A pair of gold earrings. Said to be from Bubastis, in modern-day Egypt. Roman period, 1st to 2nd century CE. (The British Museum, London).

Shown here is a detail from the Bayeux Tapestry. Though referred to as a tapestry, it is a linen cloth that features embroidery in eight different-colored wools. 11th century CE.

The scene on this terracotta lamp depicts two tragic actors (perhaps Orestes and Pylades) on a couch; a severed head lies below. Roman period, made in Italy, about 175-225 CE. Transferred from the Wellcome Collection. (The British Museum...