Rings and Jewelry in Ancient Rome
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- čas přidán 14. 05. 2024
- The Roman world sparkled with jewelry. The quality and materials varied with the wearer’s wealth and status. But for Romans of every class, jewelry was a spectacular medium of advertisement and display.
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Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
0:27 A brief history of Roman jewelry
2:01 Problems of provenance
2:35 Hairpins and earrings
3:28 Necklaces and amulets
4:32 Peregrine Pendants
5:44 Brooches and bracelets
6:54 Rings
8:24 Final thoughts
That ring of Caesonia is a thing of beauty and looks like it could have been made today.
Yeah that ring is amazing. I've had the video paused for a while so I could check it out. It looks so good I bet a lot of people who don't know any better would guess it's fake because it looks modern.
i'm impressed by the jewelry chains that incorporate super fine braidlike strands, and detail work in the signets, it makes some of the other ancient jewelry look clunky 🙂
3:22 The harpy with a harp is the epitome of bling.
_"Here's a harpy. And since you might be slow on the uptake, it's playing a harp! Geddit?"_
Holy crap! That ring of Caesonia is magnificent! Did the Romans have any type of magnification tools? I'd love to see more detail about how ancient jewelry was made.
That's a great question, I wonder that myself... did they have telescopes? Magnifying glasses?
I was wondering the same thing, amazing stuff
Isn't that ring spectacular? It was auctioned off a couple years ago. The Romans didn't know the techniques of lens grinding, though Nero supposedly owned both a pair of sunglasses and a gemstone he could peer through to make distant objects clearer.
@@toldinstone I can only imagine they used something like that to carve it. A gem to carve a gem.
It was made very carefully
Pliny the Elder on one notable instance of the use of pearls.
"I once saw Lollia Paulina, the wife of the Emperor Caius (Caligula) -it was not at any public festival, or any solemn ceremonial, but only at an ordinary wedding entertainment-covered with emeralds and pearls, which shone in alternate layers upon her head, in her hair, in her wreaths, in her ears, upon her neck, in her bracelets, and on her fingers, and the value of which amounted in all to forty millions of sesterces; indeed she was prepared at once to prove the fact, by showing the receipts and acquittances." Natural History, IX.9.58
*facepalm*
_"Here, check my receipts!"_
_"These are from the Dollar Tree..."_
_"SHADDUP!"_
8:08 I wonder how much that ring is valued at.
Edit: Did some googling. Apparently the ring was sold in 2019 but the price was never revealed. It has been guestimated to be worth $600,000. It hasn't been proven definitively that it belonged to Caligula, if it could be I'd guess the ring would be worth a lot more.
This video epitomizes your work: subtle hilarity, mind-blowing history, and jaw-dropping imagery. Thanks again, Garrett!!
Everyday jewelery such as base metal rings and brooches are surprisingly affordable and in the same price range as coins of the period. An interesting option for the collector.
Half an ounce is a small amount (especially of something dense like gold), but it's significantly more than 1 1/2 grams. Half an ounce would be closer to 14 grams ... still a small amount, but big enough to be seen.
I think he's referring to the roman ounce and not the modern imperial ounce.
Did the Wikipedia. Apparently the Roman ounce or uncia had the equivalent modern mass of about 27.4g and the modern ounce is 28.8g. An uncia was 1/12 of the Roman pound libra.
7:50 that Venus looks amazing, and then you get to the legs and you realize she is like 4 feet tall
Normally I loathe advertising in videos, but you do a great job, skillfully tailoring your videos with a relevant ad. Love the channel! Happy holidays!
I fully agree! My expectations were high because I have seen lots of Garrett's videos but I love how he incorporated the ad!
Man I love that Johnathon from 1999’s The Mummy made a short cameo in this video
I wear a coin from Alexander the Great mounted in a gold frame on a necklace. My wife’s grandmother gave it to me and I believe she got it in Rome in the 60’s
That’s so baller haha
Me bollox
@Jônas Krabb i would imagine it to be a coined stamped with his face
GOATias Maximus... Well played sir 😁
4:05 Basically two legs short of being a “wiener dog”. Also imagine wearing this around your neck for “good luck” lol
The Walters Museum in Baltimore has a nice collection of Greek and Roman jewelry. The level of detail is so impressive to see in person.
You have the best and most relevant sponsors of any channel I’m subscribed to. I don’t even skip through them.
6:40 absolutely adore this hercules knot bracelet ❤
3:20 is some real Etruscan influence. Phew. So nice.
That sapphire ring is a knockout. Can't imagine that thick beauty was fun to wear though.
I've read that at least a few early renaissance artists were originally trained as goldsmiths. Im curious what kind of art was emerging in jewerly in the high middle ages and whether it was a forrunner to the art in renaissance painting, sculpture, architecture.
Such beautiful works of art. Thank you.
Outstanding presentation, thanks for sharing!!!
Your sponsors are always on point!!!
I love this topic. I took many silver smithing and PMC classes. I consider jewelry to be wearable art.
Amazing video. Very descriptive. I love how there isn’t even any pictures like you took more time into research than anything. A majority of the time I’m busy & can’t watch the video so I’ll just listen to them. Phenomenal work
Wait there’s actually pictures. My video was just black 😂
Nice job, as always, Garrett.
You were off by an order of magnitude there. Half a troy oz is approximately 15 grams.
More likely to be half a Roman _uncia,_ which is still approximately 15 grams (27.4 / 2 = 13.7). 1.5 grams of (22kt) gold is about 1/10 of a cubic cm, which is very little indeed, even if gold can be hammered very thin!
Half an ounce from my dude Keyshawn is usually 17 gram but that’s just because he’s the plug. 28g is one ounce.
The sapphire ring is really cool
The mosaics are beautiful. I'd like to learn more About Roman mosaic art
Wonderful art and craftsmanship.
I really love this topic. 🏆✨ And everything you share with us!🏆💕🚀
The level of artistry on display in this video is stunning. Would love to see it up close in a museum setting. A true immortality in those works of human hands. Something as an artist you can only dream of, these ancient people actually achieved. Wonderous.
Oh this will be good.
That ring carved from a sapphire was crazy.
Ahh yes how could a historian forget about the wealthy Roman aristocrat Goatius Maximus
🐐 👑
I heard he was a multiple time laurel winner at the ancient Olympics.
I believe you're neglecting to mention the well-respected centurion Biggus Dickus. And how could you forget his wife Incontinentia Buttocks??
Cool video!
FANTASTIC marketing for this week's sponsor!
I love seeing these examples oF Roman jewelry, especially the hercules knot (?) Bracelet. I read or heard somewhere that Roman men really didnt wear wide gold bracelets, but mid century epic movies used them to hide untanned watch band rings. !? 🙁
Dude a half ounce is 14 grams. Thank you for the video tho :)
We all know why you know that lol
@@citricbassist I read it in a book 😂😂🤷
Precious metals are weighed in troy ounces, which equals 31.1 grams. Half an oz is around 15 grams, so he got the decimal point wrong.
Author is from US and they still can figure out metric units. Btw 15.55 grams, because jewellery and precious metals are weighted in troy ounces.
@@ulutiu Not at the time of the ancient Romans. They would have used the standard _uncia_ which is of a similar weight (27.4g). The Troy ounce of 31.1 grams dates back 'only' to the 1400s.
Great trip back to the post- historical. Don’t want to be them but can relate to those who lived under or under the influence thereof.
Love it! Could you please do a video on the makeup, hairstyles, and clothing of women at the time. 🫶🏼
@toldinstone @0:50 since when is half an ounce of gold 1.5grams? Today we use the Troy ounce for gold, which, one ounce equals 31.103 grams of gold. Or am I missing something possibly?
Maybe a typo in the script. 15g instead of 1.5g
Excellent work! Where there strong Etruscan and Greek influences on Roman tastes in jewelry during the early Republic?
Yes - both Etruscan and Roman jewelry were profoundly influenced by Greek models. In fact, Roman jewelry can be understood as an expression and extension of Hellenistic Greek models and techniques (with a few culturally Roman idiosyncrasies, such as the bulla).
@@toldinstone Interesting, thank you for the detailed response. As always your video was great and my only complaint was that now I want to know even more about the subject
Put links to your other channels in the description buddy :)
I have a Roman ring from 250-350AD. A Bronze/Lead evil eye ring. Really puts into perspective how much smaller people were back then as it barely fits on my pinkie.
GOATius Maximus lmao
1/2 an Oz weighs 1.5 grams? Dang dude you can be my dealer any time lol
Wow Roman jewelry was very impressive.
They learned from the best. Etruscans
How about Roman farm equipment? As a Ranvher, I'd love to see some ancient farming tools
Historic Drip.
any recommendations for rings?
Nice timing, I just got my first ring last week. Inexpensive but nice, tungsten Koa wood and blue opal.
you mentioned gold referring to dental work....did they know how to make and use gold fillings? (and before anesthetics! ack)
There is virtually no evidence for fillings; as far as we can tell, the only gold in people's teeth was bridgework - probably decorative rather than functional, since unalloyed gold is so soft.
Most of these examples still blow the average junk at jewelry chain stores away and I'm not sure how many of the few people left who still make pieces on commission could do much better than these.
8:19
That is an amazing ring
Wish you were narrating your own audio book, much prefer your style! Make it so, I'll pay again! :D
4:05 that looks like a creature guys would make in the game Spore!
Did the ancient romans have to go to a goldsmith to commission high-end jewelry or could they go to a boutique to buy already made pieces?
The high-end stuff was probably commissioned, but there were certainly stalls and shops selling a selection of simpler pieces.
@@toldinstone Don't you think that the capital and some of the wealthiest cities had extremely extravagant ready to wear pieces that you could purchase on short notice for important events? Many societies since have had such things and still do in the wealthy cities. :)
Personal adornment is nothing new as this video shows. The ancient world is a source of endless fascination for
the styles, materials, and workmanship of the jewelry people wore. Like today, people's tastes varied, and the ancient world----as today's marketplace---catered to the masses and then the wealthy. What I find fascinating is the workmanship of the jewelry. Everything looks created by hand, and the workmanship is superb, even by today's standards.
Is there a reputable source for the most likely list of laws from the Twelve Tables? Online sources are all over the place and don’t agree.
You should do a more in depth video on rings in particular. There's not that much information out there and a lot of confusion with medieval rings, especially for bronze jewelry
8:45 probably some religious significance behind the curtain but, in the context of this presentation, it reminds me of the early curio cabinet collections of Europe that preceded the modern museum.
wow, that sponser does something very cool. will check it out
the sponsors website only ships AFTER dec 26, so much for xmas gifts lol
I want to emphasise that am womens jewellery were hers, and NOT owned by the family, and stayed hers even in case of the death of the husband or a divorce. So - as it was said - its not only pretty, its security.
⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟
I listened again to make sure I heard that right, but at the beginning talking about the limits on the amount of jewelry to be worn, it was mentioned that there was a limit of half an oz, then immediately after stated that was equal to 1.5 grams. I'm not a math genius but I don't believe that to be a correct.
That first brooch looks an awful lot like a modern micrometer, even down to the friction thimble and ratchet stop.
I'd love to learn how Romans used/organized their finances and operated banks
I am not sure if ancient ounces are different than modern measurements but you might want to check your math on your conversions at about the 1:00 mark.
Very cool video.
half an ounce in Roman times was one and a half grams? (see around 1:00), sounds a little low to me.
ha, GOATius Maximus, indeed
How did those gold earrings not tear their ears off?
0:59 half an ounce is 14 grams. But most likely this would be troy ounce or ozt. That would be 15.555 grams of 24k pure gold
it must have been a challenge for wealthy Romans to keep their valuable jewellery safe from theft, once they took it off. Fine jewellery would have been the king of stolen goods, because of its high value relative to its small size, easy storage and portability. The homes of elite Romans must have bene effectively fortified compounds, with 24/7 armed guards and guard dogs.
But a trusted slave or two would undoubtedly know where the safe/security box/strong box/lock box was kept. And a daring and cunning slave could potentially connive with burglars, trading info on the jewellery's location for a cut of the proceeds of theft.
I would love a video on how wealthy Romans stored their cash and valuables, what they used. Did they put coins and jewels in the floor under locked trapdoors ? did everyone sleep with a guard dog in their bedroom?
cool ad, never thought of a roman coin as jew;ry
Did the Romans wear the arm braces we often seen in movies?
Hay
Half an ounce is approx 16 grams (troy ounce).
That last image is of a Byzantine empress
So much word used during that era
Satirists of old: Kings be like LOOK HOW MUCH MY ICE WEIGHSS
I think your “Venus” might be Athena or Artemis, she’s holding her helmet.
I wish ancient Rome that didn't fall. So, I could buy things from Rome Empire today.😃
Half a troy ounce is about 15.5 grams
I restore and sell ancient Roman coins and small artifacts for a living 👍
I’m always excited when you drop a new video, amazing work, thank you. 😊
I think i know the source of power from the venus' jewellery
Okay, why is no one talking about this? 4:08
I wonder how often a Roman got mugged in the street for their expensive jewelry?
🤠👍🏿
Half an ounce of gold is about 15 grams
A 1/2 oz is 15 grams, not 1.5. Don't ask how I know.
Excellent!
Funny you uploaded this video today, I'm in the market for devotional jewelry for the Greco-Roman Gods, as I'm a practicing neopagan.
Caveat Emptor 🌿🤣🌿
Seems like the gods are working in your favor.
We don't call ourselves neopagan
The world is changed.
I feel it in the water.
I feel it in the earth.
I smell it in the air.
Much that once was is lost, for none now live who remember it.
It began with the forging of the Great Rings. Three were given to the Triumvirs, immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings. Seven to the Vestal Virgins, great priestesses and tenders of the Sacred Fire. And nine, nine rings were gifted to the race of Patricians, who above all else desire power. For within these rings was bound the strength and the will to govern each subject of the Empire. But they were all of them deceived, for another ring was made. Deep in the land of Steppeland, in the Fires of Mount Hun, the Steppe Lord Attila forged a master ring, and into this ring he poured his cruelty, his malice and his will to dominate all life.
One ring to rule them all.
One by one, the free lands of the Mediterranean fell to the power of the Ring, but there were some who resisted. A last alliance of Romans and Foederati marched against the armies of the Huns, and on the very slopes of Mount Hun, they fought for the freedom of Mediterranean. Victory was near, but the power of the ring could not be undone. It was in this moment, when all hope had faded, that Octavian, adopted son of the First Citizen, took up his father’s sword.
Attila, enemy of the free peoples of Mediterranean, was defeated. The Ring passed to Octavian, who had this one chance to destroy evil forever, but the hearts of men are easily corrupted. And the ring of power has a will of its own. It betrayed Octavian, to his death.
And some things that should not have been forgotten were lost. History became legend. Legend became myth. And for two and a half thousand years, the ring passed out of all knowledge. Until, when chance came, it ensnared another bearer.
It came to the creature Crassus, who took it deep into the tunnels of the Alps. And there it consumed him. The ring gave to Crassus unnatural long life. For five hundred years it poisoned his mind, and in the gloom of Crassus’s cave, it waited. Darkness crept back into the forests of the world. Rumor grew of a shadow in the Northeast, whispers of a nameless fear, and the Ring of Power perceived its time had come. It abandoned Crassus, but then something happened that the Ring did not intend. It was picked up by the most unlikely creature imaginable: a Celt, Honorius, of Caledonia.
For the time will soon come when Celts will shape the fortunes of all.
Half an ounce is around 15 grams, not 1.5.
goatus maximus lol
Half an ounce is 14 grams unless they had tiny ounces.