**First Time At Auction**
Roman, Imperial period, ca. 1st to 2nd century CE. A fine cast-bronze depiction of an eagle perched atop a round, disc-like base. The majestic bird stands atop slender delineated legs with its chest puffed out, its wings stretched out to the sides as if ready to fly away, and a petite head turned slightly to the left with an aquiline beak. Size: 1.45" W x 2" H (3.7 cm x 5.1 cm)
The eagle was a highly-symbolic animal among the Roman military and was a great symbol of pride and victory in the eyes of the legions. Known as "aquila" in Latin, the eagle was a representation of honor, victory, and cohesiveness within a legion. One member of each legion was referred to as an aquilifer, or "eagle-bearer," as it was their primary duty to carry and protect that legion's designated eagle standard. If ever an aquila was lost or stolen, it was the primary obligation of the aquilifer to go to any lengths to recover the standard and see to its safe return. Losing an eagle standard was considered a grave omen for its respective legion and would typically lead to distrust and paranoia among the legionaries. To quote a piece of historical fiction set in Roman Britain entitled The Eagle of the Ninth (Rosemary Sutcliff, 1954), "Eagle lost, honor lost; honor lost, all lost."
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#132446
Condition
Tiny loss from tip of tail. Very dark green patina on surface. Nice preservation of detail.