Rings
A finger ring (Latin anulus, also annulus) is an ornament worn on a finger. Ancient examples were made from gold, silver, copper alloys and iron, with closed or open hoops. Alongside all-metal rings, there were settings for stones and glass.
A ring could serve as an ornament, an indication of affiliation, a commemorative gift or a seal, sometimes combining several functions. Material and imagery matter, but cannot establish an owner's name, occupation or status without supporting context.
Rings in Ancient Rome
Men and women wore rings, while Roman ideas of status affected the significance of particular materials and forms. Entitlement to a gold ring changed over time, so a find cannot automatically be assigned to an equestrian or senator.
Rings depict deities, animals, portraits, inscriptions and many other symbols. A military inscription may indicate an army connection, but not every eagle identifies a particular legion. Snake and phallic motifs could have protective meanings; precise interpretation depends on the object and its context.
Gold ring with a phallic motif. British Museum; SL.43. First century BCE–second century CE.
Gold snake ring reported as found at Pompeii, first century CE. Present collection not confirmed.
Gold ring attributed to Legio V Macedonica; reported date: second–third century CE. Without documentation of the find, the legionary attribution remains unconfirmed.Some rings are associated with betrothal, marriage or marital concord. Clasped hands could express harmony and loyalty, but also appeared in alliances outside marriage. The motif does not by itself prove that a ring was a wedding ring.
Paired portraits and inscriptions can help clarify an object's purpose. The modern exchange of matching rings should not be projected without qualification onto every period of Roman history.
Roman gold ring with clasped hands, third century CE. The motif could express concord or alliance, but does not by itself establish a wedding function.
Gold ring previously described as a wedding ring, first–third century CE. A marital function requires supporting context or an inscription.Engraved stone inserts are known as gems. An intaglio has a design cut below the surface, producing a raised impression; a cameo has a design standing above its background. The distinction concerns the cutting technique rather than the stone's value.
An intaglio ring could seal wax or another soft material, but not every ring with an insert was used as a seal. Glass inserts also occur, and some museum records retain uncertainty between a stone and a glass imitation. A replica should reproduce the setting, dimensions and attachment as well as the image.
Ring with a carnelian intaglio depicting a small human figure. National Museum of Scotland; first century BCE.
Roman gold cameo ring with a bust of Minerva in a Corinthian helmet, 1st century AD; Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Intaglio with a portrait identified as Mark Antony. Chalcedony and gold; first century BCE.Related topics
Literature and sources
- Gold ring with an intaglio: Metropolitan Museum.
- A. T. Croom. Roman Clothing and Fashion.
- Martin Henig. A Handbook of Roman Art.
- Ring with clasped hands: context of the motif, Metropolitan Museum.
Gold ring with a phallic motif. British Museum; 1772,0314.32. First–third century CE.
Gold ring with a lion motif, attributed to a Greek craftsman; first century CE.
Roman gold ring with a female bust, first–second century CE.
Roman gold ring with amethyst. State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg; first century BCE.
Ring depicting a boar. Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Antiquities Collection; first half of the first century BCE.Interested in Ancient Rome beyond reading? Join Legio X Fretensis or explore our reenactment directions.
