antiquitystuff:This small sardonyx intaglio is called the ‘Felix Gem’ as it includes the engraver’s
antiquitystuff:This small sardonyx intaglio is called the ‘Felix Gem’ as it includes the engraver’s name. It is dated to c. 1-50 ADThe gem depicts a scene set during the Trojan War. Ulysses is shown scolding Diomedes. The pair had planned to sneak into Troy and steal the Palladion, a sacred statue of Pallas Athena. During their mission Diomedes killed a guard; his feet are visible below Ulysses, and touched the statue with bloodied hands. Ulysses scolds Diomedes, possibly for being disrespectful, not being stealthy enough or both On the altar is ‘ΦΕΛΙΞ ΕΠΟΙΕΙ’ Latinised it is ‘Felix epoiei’ which can be translated as ‘Felix made me’The name of the owner can be seen in Greek above Diomedes ‘ΚΑΛΠΟΥΡΝΙΟΥ ϛΕΟΥΞΡΟΥ’. The Latinised version is Calpurnius Severus. He probably would have used the gem as a seal. Top image by Jun on Flickr, second image from the Ashmolean Learning Resources - The Felix Gem -- source link
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