Tyrian Purple

Tyrian purple is a pigment made from the mucus of 3 species of murex snail. In nature, the snails use the secretion as part of their predatory behavior to sedate prey. The snail also secretes mucus when it is attacked or antagonized. Production of Tyrian purple for use as a fabric dye began as early as 1200 BC by the Phoenicians. It continued with the Greeks and Romans until 1453 AD, with the fall of Constantinople. The pigment was expensive and time-consuming to produce, and items colored with it belonged to the elite. The pigment was the most expensive product in antiquity – worth more than three times its weight in gold, according to a Roman edict in 301 AD

The ultimate status symbol in Rome were robes dyed Tyrian purple. The colour, named for Tyre, its place of origin, was made from the Hexaplex trunculus snail. It took 13,000 snails to produce 1.4 grams of dye, enough for the trim on one garment. In Republican Rome only the wealthiest men, the equites, were allowed to wear it. In Imperial Rome it was restricted to the Emperor.

In 40 AD, the king of Mauretania was killed in Rome on orders of Caligula. Despite being a friend to the Romans, he caused a grave offence when he strode into an amphitheatre to watch games wearing a purple robe. Archaeological data from Tyre indicate that the snails were collected in large vats and left to decompose. This produced a hideous stench. Little is known about the mass production of the most highly prized "blackish clotted blood" colour. It may have been achieved by double-dipping the cloth, once in the indigo dye of H. trunculus and again in the purple-red dye of B. brandaris.

Tyrian purple may first have been used by the ancient Phoenicians as early as 1570 BC. The dye was prized in antiquity because the colour did not easily fade, but instead became brighter with weathering and sunlight. Phoenicia means 'land of purple.' True Tyrian purple, like most high-chroma pigments, cannot be accurately displayed on a computer display.

A Tunisian man has pieced together a secret linked to ancient emperors: how to make a prized purple dye using the guts of a sea snail. No historical documents clearly detail the production methods used. Production of the dye was among the main sources of wealth for the ancient Phoenicians, and then for the Carthaginian and Roman empires. Whole economies depended upon it's production. Even today the dye can cost $2,800 per gram from some European traders, and prices can reach up to $4,000. To obtain one gram of pure purple dye, 100 kg of the ill smelling murex need to be shelled.

Rarities at Klunker

Agrippina was one of the most influential women of the early Roman Empire. She was the offspring of Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa, the victor of Actium, and Julia, daughter of Augustus. The husband chosen for her was Germanicus, who was supposed to become Augustus’ successor. They had nine children, including future Emperor Caligula. Agrippina was exiled in 29 AD and starved herself to death on Pandataria in 33 AD. Very fine+. Estimate: 25,000 euros. Hammer price: 120,000 euros.

Most aurei of Commodus are not really rare. Commodus as Hercules Romanus are extremely rare in top condition. Künker offered such a rarity and the result was 170,000 euros.

An aureus of Postumus. He came from Gaul and established his center of power in Cologne. Coins of Postumus are among the most beautiful pieces known from the time of the Barracks Emperors. The coin features Postumus and Heracles on the obverse. The reverse shows Victoria and Felicitas, representing Postumus’ military successes. The coin made 190,000 euro in part because of its pedigree. It's ownership can reliably be traced back to 1888.

Aureui of Pescennius Niger, 193-194, are impossibly rare in any condition. When they are extremely fine/very fine+ they will find many interested collectors. Estimate: 75,000 euros. Hammer price: 220,000 euros.

UK Spitalfields skeleton a high ranking Roman woman

A noble young Roman woman who lived in the fourth century was buried under what is now a market in London. She was in her early 20s and grew up in Italy. Her body was discovered in March 1999 under London's Spitalfields Market. The body was found in a decorated lead coffin that itself was placed inside a stone sarcophagus, indicating she was someone of great wealth and status.

She was embalmed with expensive Mediterranean and Middle Eastern oils and resins, and wrapped in a silk garment interwoven with fine gold thread. Her burial clothing was found to be purple — a hallmark strictly reserved for Roman elite.

Judaea Capta

Judaea Capta coinage was a series of coins issued by Vespasian to celebrate the capture of Judaea. Coins inscribed Ivdaea Capta (Judea Captured) were issued throughout the Empire. Coins were issued by Roman Emperors Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian to celebrate the victory over the Jewish revolt and the destruction of Jerusalem's Second Temple in 70 CE.

Coins were struck for 25 years in gold, silver, and bronze.

The Great Revolt between the Romans and the Jews in 63 CE occured after Roman governor Gessius Florus looted the Second Temple. The First Jewish Revolt (66–73/74 CE), was the first of three major rebellions by Judaea against Rome. In 69 CE, Galba, the governor of Hispania (Spain), rebelled against Nero marking the start of the 'year of 4 emperors'.

After the capture of Jerusalem, the last rebels committed suicide at Masada.

Vespasian. AU Aureus (7.05 g), AD 69-79. ‘Judaea Capta’ type.

Winner Vespasian levied the punitive Fiscus Judaicus tax against all five million of his Jewish subjects. Vespasian then began striking vast numbers of Judaea Capta coins in all denominations. One element of the Judaea Capta imagery is a group of military trophies. Captured weapons and armor hung from a tree or post represents a military victory over the defeated enemy.

A rare shekel produced in Year 4 plus the ultimate rarity, a Year 5 shekel. The Second Revolt was circa 132-135 CE.

Judaea Capta gold aureus features the inscription DE IVDAEIS (Latin - "concerning the Jews") Hybrid features the strange legend IVDAEA AUGUST.

Titus, AD 79-81. Gold Aureus. A true rarity, the date is early in AD 70, which places it before or during the siege of Jerusalem (May-September 70). Titus as Caesar features the legend IVDAE DEVICTA, or “Judea is conquered,” It realized $956,000 in 2011. The undated coin is the only known example with a complete inscription on the shield.

Galba ruled for eight months from AD 68 to 69. His aureus is one of the great rarities of Roman coins. This example, near XF, made £52,000.

Roman military victories on coins

Rome’s territorial expansion was synonymous with military conquest. Coins served as both the messenger and message in ancient Rome.

AEGVPTO CAPTA (Egypt Captured) was a series of coins struck in 28-27 BCE by Octavian. The first Roman coins explicitly glorifying conquest were a novelty for the time.

The Nile crocodile was a symbol of ancient Egypt. The dupondius of Nimes continued to be struck for several decades, from 29 BCE up to 10 CE. The obverse portrays Augustus and Marcus Agrippa. The reverse is a crocodile chained to a palm tree.

The dupondius was a low value copper coin, used in everyday transactions.

DACIA CAPTA (Dacia Captured). Under Trajan, the Roman Empire reached its greatest territorial extent. Trajan’s campaign over the Danube brought Rome both new territory and the gold mines of Dacia. The conquest of rich Dacia (101-102 and 105-106 CE) was the last major territorial addition of the Empire.

Parthia Capta. Rome fought many wars against the Parthian Empire but had few triumps. One of the few Roman leaders to humiliate the East was Emperor Trajan. His 115-117 CE campaign was celebrated with PARTHIA CAPTA (Parthia Conquered) coinage.

The Armenia Capta gold aureus of Lucius Verus, issued in A.D. 163 in Rome made 14,000 Swiss francs ($13,963 U.S.) in 2019 against an estimate of 7,500 francs. In 163, the Roman general Marcus Statius Priscus invaded Armenia and captured the capital Artaxata. The second coin was issued in Rome, sometime in early 218. It features a bust of Macrinus on the obverse, and the reverse shows Victory seated. The reverse proclaims a victory over the Parthians, which is ironic, since Macrinus agreed to a humiliating peace treaty. 20,000 Swiss francs ($19,946 U.S.) against an estimate of 5,000 francs.

Lost Roman city of Neapolis

In 2017, archaeologists confirmed the discovery of the lost Roman city of Neapolis off the coast of Nabeul, in northeast Tunisia

The lost Roman city was found in the waters of northeast Tunisia in 2017. The find confirmed an old theory that the settlement was swallowed up by a colossal tsunami 1,600 years ago. Divers discovered the remains of streets, monuments, and around 100 tanks used to store garum, a fermented fish sauce sometimes called 'Rome’s ketchup'.

On the morning of July 21, 365 CE, the Mediterranean was rocked by an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.5. The epicenter was in Crete, where most towns were destroyed. Large portions of Greece, Cyprus, Sicily, Spain, and North Africa suffered.

The earthquake caused an uplift of nine metres of the island of Crete.

Neapolis was once the largest centre in the Roman world for the production of garum.

See ----- Pompeii reveals garum.

Rare Greek-Illyrian helmet discovered

A very rare bronze Greek-Illyrian helmet, used in Greece during the time of the Greco-Persian Wars, was discovered in a rock-cut tomb in Dalmatia, Croatia in 2020.

The form of the iconic open-faced helmet originated in the Peloponnese during the 8th and 7th centuries BC. The find was made during the exploration of the cave tomb in Zakotarac, located on the Pelješac peninsula, in southern Dalmatia, Croatia. The tomb was for a warrior buried in the 4th century BC. Part of the warrior’s skull appears to be visible from the openings of the helmet. The helmet is one of only about forty such helmets that have ever been found. Archaeologists also discovered a trove of ancient weapons, including spears and knives. Two other people were buried along with the warrior, including a woman, who was found wearing a bronze bracelet.

Golden Man of Saka

The Golden Man is a Kazak warrior costume that dates to about 300 or 400 BC. It's believed to have been worn by a high status teen-aged Scythian Prince who was killed during a battle.

It was found in 1969 in a Scythian tomb about 60km east of Almaty, near Yesik. It is made out of more than 4,000 gold pieces, many of them finely worked with animal motifs.

Gold ring of Scipio Barbatus

This gold and carnelian signet ring was found on the skeletal finger of Scipio Barbatus (337 BC – 270 BC) inside his sarcophagus, when the Tomb of the Scipios was discovered in 1780. It is the only Roman ring that can be matched to a known Roman owner.

Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus was the father of Lucius Cornelius Scipio and Gnaeus Cornelius Scipio Asina and great-grandfather of Scipio Africanus.

Health God Asclepius

A 2.2m marble statue group depicting the health god Asclepius together with his son and assistant Telesphoros has been unearthed during excavation work at the Aspendos Ancient City.Dated to the last quarter of the 2nd century AD, the statue group was discovered among the ruins of the northern wing of the Monumental Gate located in the Eastern Square on Theater Street. Asclepius was the ancient Greek god of medicine and healing. He learned healing from the centaur Chiron and grew so skilled he could raise the dead, prompting Zeus to kill him with a lightning bolt. He was later made a god.

Aspendosan is in Antalya, Turkey, 40 km east of Antalya. It's famous for the world's best-preserved Roman theater, built in 155 AD by the architect Zeno, which seats up to 10,000. It features advanced acoustics.