Jewelry of the Roman Empire
The History Of Roman Jewelry
The Roman Empire is well known for its intricate jewelry designs and assortment of materials. Gold, iron and glass settings, gems from all shades of the rainbow, intricate intaglio carvings and glass beads. Jewelry was influenced by the cultures of conquered Mediterranean territories. In addition to this, an extensive trade network provided access to materials that otherwise would not have been available; semiprecious stones were imported along the Silk Road from Persia, India and the far east.
Ancient Roman Jewelry for Women
There is nothing that a woman will not permit herself to do, nothing that she deems shameful, when she encircles her neck with green emeralds and fastens huge pearls to her elongated ears…
Juvenal Satires VI 457 AD
Roman women lavished in collections of different jewelry sets and adorned their bodies with rings, bracelets, earrings, and necklaces all worn at the same time.
Even functional accessories such as brooches or pins used to fasten garments were heavily decked with gemstones, and often created from precious metals.
Earrings, specifically boat-shaped earrings wrought from precious metals were one of the most popular items in Rome amongst women.
Ancient Roman Jewelry for Men
In contrast to the women, Roman men preferred simpler jewelry but were known to accentuate the hands. Unlike in the present, the Romans had little discrimination of gender in jewelry style, most pieces were unisex. Although only men of wealth could collect fine art such as sculptures or silver, it was not uncommon to wear several rings. Men often wore five rings on each hand.
Bracelets, collars, pendants and torcs (a type of necklace) were also treasured by Roman men. Torcs and bracelets were used as symbols of status or power. One such example is that of the Roman Dictator Titus Manlius. In 361 BC, he challenged a Gaul to single combat, killed him, and took his Torc to wear it. He was nicknamed “Titus Manlius Imperiosus Torquatus” (Titus Manlius, he who wears a torc). A tradition of awarding torcs to war-heroes and using them to distinguish elite units in war was thus born.
Roman Jewelry Materials
Semiprecious stones like garnet, emeralds, peridots, jasper and lapis lazuli were imported from Egypt. Onyx, amber and moonstone were brought in from the Persian Gulf.
Oddly enough, one of the widest known expeditions was for the acquisition of amber, known at the time as “The gold of the North”. It occurred during the reign of Emperor Nero, when a Roman Equite (member of the Roman Equestrian Order) reported that they brought in enough amber to build an entire stadium of Gladiatorial combat.
Rings
Romans favored massive, eye-catching rings that indicated their social status. Senators and Bureaucrats would wear gold rings with a generously sized gemstone that, at a glance, would immediately indicate their status.
Plebeians, or commoners were only allowed to wear rings of iron, although occasionally they were granted rings of gold as a sign of bravery in battle.
Bracelets
Bracelets were typically made from gold and pearls and would adorn both wrists. They were of no use, and served in a purely decorative function. It wasn’t uncommon for bracelets to depict coiling snakes fastened by pins, which symbolized immortality.
Earrings
Earrings are one of the oldest forms of jewelry to exist. The women of the Roman Empire wore earrings primarily to embellish the face, it was also to symbolize their value or position in society. Amethyst, which serve as a sign of enchantment, were one of the most popular materials around that could be embedded in earrings.
Necklaces
Necklaces were favored by men and women, rich and poor alike. The highest term of their popularity came around when the Emperors began the ritual of hanging a pendant in the winner’s neck. Most Romans leaned towards pendant rather than simple, choker-like necklaces. Pendants had the image of the emperor stamped upon them, or were adorned with a gemstone embedded in precious metals.
Similar Cultures
It may have caught your attention that Roman jewelry has quite a few similarities to both Greek and Etruscan designs.
In the early years Roman jewelry was quite a bit more conservative than other Mediterranean cultures. However, Roman invasion into new territories led to greater resources as well as lifestyles bursting with grandeur and luxury. Hence, jewelry became more opulent. On our ancient jewelry timeline you can see some of the overlap of styles and cultures of ancient civilizations, and how Romans, Greeks and Egyptians coexisted for many years.
Buying Ancient Roman Jewelry
The majority of Roman jewelry was cast in iron and thus the pieces have degraded. Surviving gemstones, cameos, and cabochons are sometimes set into a modern setting, but in general it’s hard to come by wearable ancient pieces that don’t cost a fortune, and arguably these works belong in a museum or cultural institution.
The Museum of Jewelry gift shop offers an Ancient Roman Jewelry collection solves for this by recreating the treasures of the Roman Empire at an affordable price point. We have a large selection of earrings, rings, pendants and brooches available.
Further Reading
Originally published at https://store.museumofjewelry.com on May 18, 2020.
