drjeball.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

A #Roman glass vessel in the shape of a bird, in a lovely shade of cobalt blue. These vessels often contained perfume, & you snapped the tail off to use it - as can be seen in this example (it still looks beautiful though! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #AncientGlass

submitted 17 hours ago • 3 comments

submitted 29 days ago • 0 comments

Does this papyrus letter suggest some military corruption in #Roman Egypt? Written in AD 37 by a scribe, it assures the recipient that the scribe does not know of anyone in his village being subject to extortion by a soldier or his agents - so, enquiries were being made..? AncientBlueSky

submitted 2 days ago • 3 comments

A #Roman pottery money-box, purpose-made with a slit in the top to insert your coins through. It was found in Lincoln (Britain), still with some coins inside, which date the box to at least the C4th AD - I wonder who it was who saved these coins but never got to spend them..? AncientBlueSky

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

Gladiatorial reliefs often told the story of a fictional or real fight & could serve as epitaphs. I like this 2ndC CE one from Cappadocia now at the Yale U. Art Gallery because you can tell the murmillo won by the last comic-like panel (Photos 📸 by me).

submitted 7 days ago • 3 comments

A selection of beautiful #Roman glass bowls, ranging in colour from a pale greeny-blue to a bold amber colour - they must have looked amazing on an ancient table! These bowls are up to 2000 years old, & have survived in amazing condition! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #AncientGlass #RomanArchaeology

submitted 7 days ago • 8 comments

Memnon, victor of 9 fights, defeats Valentinus in gladiatorial combat Detail from the late 2nd century Colchester Vase found in 1853 From @colmuseums.bsky.social and currently on display @dorsetmuseum.bsky.social as part if the Gladiators Exhibition 📷 Jan 2025 #FindsFriday #Roman #Archaeology

submitted 10 days ago • 9 comments

The tombstone of Rufus Lucilius, a #Roman soldier in the Legio XV Apollinaris, who died at the age of just 21 after 4 years service in the #RomanArmy. The stone was dedicated by his brother Marcus, & features a small relief figure of lost deceased Rufus (📷 Ortolf Harl) AncientBlueSky #Archaeology

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

While the main scene from the Column of Antoninus Pius depicts he and his wife Faustina’s apotheosis, the side panels (of which this is one) depict the decursio equitum performed at the funeral. Riders appear to move in a ring around the praetorian guard. #ReliefWednesday #AncientBluesky🏺

submitted 12 days ago • 1 comment

For #ReliefWednesday a relief from a #Roman funeral chest depicting a shoe last, a hammer, an ascia (a form of adze), and a rasp. The deceased produced shoe lasts, it was important to show the source of income. Found in Neumagen, 3rd c. AD 🏺 AncientBluesky #archaeology

submitted 12 days ago • 2 comments

A gold #Roman aureus, with a portrait bust of the emperor Trajan on one side, & a phoenix on the other, standing on a laurel wreath with a radiate around its head. The coin was minted early in the reign of Trajan's successor Hadrian (📷 British Museum) #Numismatics #Archaeology AncientBlueSky

submitted 12 days ago • 1 comment

A first glimpse of my second book online, available for pre-order now! It explores a rebellion/war against #Rome in northwest Africa in the early years of Tiberius' reign, led by Tacfarinas, a #Roman auxiliary-turned-deserter- turned-bandit-turned-rebel (he was a busy man!) AncientBlueSky

submitted 13 days ago • 3 comments

A beautiful #Roman garden fresco scene, packed with birds & lots of different plants, fruits, & flowers. It was painted over 2000 years ago onto the wall of a villa belonging to Livia, wife of the first emperor, Augustus #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology AncientBlueSky

submitted 15 days ago • 1 comment

Really looking forward to giving this talk!

submitted 17 days ago • 4 comments

This cockerel was a gift to the goddess Arcanua from Ulpius Verinus, veteran of the Sixth Legion - based in Great Britain. The cockerel itself probably also comes from Great Britain. Found in the far southeast of the Netherlands, where a small temple for Arcuana stood in Roman times. #FindsFriday 🏺🗃️

submitted 17 days ago • 2 comments

A #Roman glass bottle in the form of a shell, made in a stunning cobalt blue colour. It is about 2000 years old - absolutely amazing that it has survived this well for so long! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

submitted 17 days ago • 6 comments

A #Roman silver brooch from #London, in the shape of a (fairly unusual-looking!) dolphin; it was made 1800-2000 years ago, but it is so easy to visualise it decorating the clothing of a Romano-Briton all those years ago! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

submitted 18 days ago • 1 comment

A #Roman mosaic fragment depicting the head (well, helmet) of a #gladiator. This mosaic (& many others) was discovered in 1834 in the remains of a villa on the Borghese family estate at Torrenova (Rome). Maybe a fan of the games once lived in the villa? 🏺 AncientBlueSky #MosaicMonday #Archaeology

submitted 20 days ago • 3 comments

[New Post] Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania #Algeria #ArchaeologyTravel followinghadrianphotography.com/2025/01/31/r...

submitted 24 days ago • 0 comments

A metal face-mask from a #Roman military helmet - a great if slightly scary-looking example, complete with articulated ears as well! And yes, that is a Playmobil soldier behind his right ear... AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #AncientBlueSky

submitted 23 days ago • 1 comment

Working #women are frequently attested in the #Roman empire: the funerary stele of Sentia Amarantis depicts the deceased tapping wine from a barrel. She was an inn-keeper and died at the age of 45. The stele was set up by her husband. From Augusta Emerita/Mérida, 3rd c. AD. #ReliefWednesday 🏺

submitted 26 days ago • 7 comments

An eye-catching snake, tongue poking out, depicted on a #Roman mosaic from #Pompeii, pictured as part of a wider scene set on the banks of the River Nile #YearOfTheSnake AncientBlueSky

submitted 25 days ago • 3 comments

A beautiful small #Roman glass dish, with an irregular pattern of cobalt blue & amber glass interspersed with yellow cane circles (or flowers?) - it was made about 2000 years ago, & is an absolutely gorgeous piece of #AncientGlass! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

submitted 26 days ago • 3 comments

A beautiful #Roman glass bowl, made of cobalt blue glass with 24 vertical 'ribs' in stripey blue & white running down the lower part of the vessel. It was made just under 2000 years ago, & was a popular design at the time (📷NY Met Museum) 🏺AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #AncientGlass

submitted 29 days ago • 1 comment

Some awesome almost-life-size Lego #Roman soldiers keeping guard at the frontiers of the Lego shop in #Rome! AncientBlueSky

submitted 31 days ago • 1 comment

#ReliefWednesday - It's Roman beaker time! This one's green glazed and decorated with gladiatorial scenes, a secutor and retiarius: ca. 2nd Century AD. Associated with the cemetery of Ulpia Noviomagus. #Archaeology 🏺 Image: Valkhof Museum (XVII.1). Link - valkhofmuseum.nl/en/verdiepin...

submitted 32 days ago • 0 comments

The Colosseum in #Rome around sunset, seen from the grounds of Nero's Domus Aurea (although Nero never saw it!) - sometimes, the depth of #Roman history really astonishes me, thinking about all the things from Roman history that some of its major figures never knew about... AncientBlueSky

submitted 33 days ago • 0 comments

I'm looking for somewhere to look & buy (preferably online) some good quality reproduction #Roman jewellery - does anyone have any recommendations? AncientBlueSky

submitted 35 days ago • 7 comments

Something lovely for the weekend! A 1,800 year-old Roman glass flask shaped like a little mouse 🐭😍 📷 by me www.metmuseum.org/art/collecti... #Archaeology

submitted 37 days ago • 34 comments

A #Roman die carved out of rock crystal, with traces of gold leaf which once picked out the details of the number dots & decorative elements (including a laurel wreath around the 1) - a very fancy thing to play games of chance with! 🏺 AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

submitted 36 days ago • 4 comments

Great to see #Pompeii in the news again with some spectacular new discoveries - working someday at this amazing #Roman site is still pretty high on my archaeological bucket list! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

submitted 38 days ago • 0 comments

An #AncientGreek / #Roman cameo, carved in sardonyx, showing the goddess Aurora driving a two-horsed chariot across the sky, bringing in the dawn of a new day. It was made about 2000 years ago, & displays some beautiful craftsmanship - it is only 4.2cm wide! 🏺AncientBlueSky #Archaeology

submitted 38 days ago • 1 comment

The tombstone of Gaius Largennius, a #Roman soldier in the Legio II Augusta. He died at the age of 37 after serving 18 years in the #RomanArmy. He was originally from Lucca (Italy), but was buried in Strasbourg (France) where his legion was stationed (📷 Ji-Elle) AncientBlueSky #Archaeology

submitted 39 days ago • 1 comment

A #Roman glass bowl in a lovely subtle light bluey-green, with ridges all around its outer body - it has survived in pretty wonderful condition as well! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology #AncientGlass

submitted 41 days ago • 11 comments

The Colosseum in #Rome - such an iconic #Roman site! AncientBlueSky #Archaeology #RomanArchaeology

submitted 44 days ago • 2 comments