Mars with Taenia and Military Attributes (Nicolo/Dark Blue Agate Intaglio)

Nicolo intaglio on dark blue agate (a stratified stone typical of Roman glyptics). This gemstone presents a complete and highly detailed iconographic representation of the god of war.

The god Mars is depicted standing, facing right, carrying the attributes that identify him as the deity of war. In his right hand, he holds a sheathed sword; in his left, a shield alongside a spear. He wears greaves on his legs and a cape (paludamentum) over his shoulders. On the ground, resting against a small column, lies his cuirass. To signify his divine nature, he wears a ribbon around his head: the taenia. Since his month is March, he is also considered the god of spring and youth, which is closely related to the military sphere, as it was in spring (considered the start of the year for the Romans) when military campaigns began, and young males would march off.

Registration code DJ03353