Portrait Medallion (Phalera) of a Julio-Claudian Prince
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for Portrait Medallion (Phalera) of a Julio-Claudian Prince
Portrait Medallion (Phalera) of a Julio-Claudian Prince
Place of OriginProbably Italy
DateFirst quarter of the first century CE
DimensionsDiam: 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm); Max Thickness: 3/8 in. (1 cm)
MediumMold-pressed blue glass, cast in an open, one-piece mold, fire-polished, with tooling marks on the underside.
ClassificationGlass
Credit LineGift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number
1923.1646
Not on View
DescriptionA circular dark blue glass phalera featuring a frontal bust of a Julio-Claudian prince, possibly Germanicus, wearing a cuirass with epaulettes. To his right, a three-quarter head of a child remains; the matching head to the left is lost. The upperside is convex, while the underside is flat but uneven, with creases and fold marks in the glass.
Label TextThis glass phalera, or military decoration, was crafted in the first quarter of the first century CE and likely depicts a Julio-Claudian prince, possibly Germanicus, with his son, Tiberius Gemellus. Roman phalerae were typically affixed to armor or worn as military awards, signifying the recipient’s loyalty or achievements. The Toledo phalera, molded in dark blue glass, features a central portrait bust clad in a cuirass, flanked by two smaller heads (one now missing). Scholars have suggested this example may represent Drusus Minor and his twin sons, suggesting it was issued ca. 20 CE. Similar medallions have been found at Vindonissa, a major Roman military site, reinforcing the interpretation that such objects were awarded to soldiers serving on the frontier.Published ReferencesBoschung, Dietrich, "Römische Glasphalerae mit Porträtbüsten," Bonner Jahrbucher 187, 1987, no. 18, p. 241, Abb. 64.
Ferrari, Gloria, "Felicior Augusto: portrait medallions in glass and the Ravenna relief," Opuscula Romana XVII: 4, 1989, pp. 35, 59, fig. 5, p. 37. pam file
Grose, David F., Early Ancient Glass: Core-Formed, Rod-Formed, and Cast Vessels and Objects from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Roman Empire, 1600 B.C. to A.D. 50, New York, Hudson Hills Press in association with the Toledo Museum of Art, 1989, cat. no. 676, p. 371.
Probably Late Helladic III, about the fourteenth to twelfth century BCE
Early first to fourth century CE
Third to first century BCE
Late first century BCE to early first century CE
Probably first century BCE to first century CE
Probably first century BCE to first century CE
1st century CE
Head and hindquarters: early 20th century; Body: probably 7th-1st century CE
Roman Period (1st to 4th century CE)
Third to first century BCE
Probably Late Helladic III, about the 14th-12th century BCE
Probably Late Helladic III, about the 14th-12th century BCE
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