Ancient Roman Ring, Silver, 1st-2nd century AD, Carnelian + Intaglio XX + Boar

  

Ancient and authentic Roman Ring, 1st-2nd century AD, made of solid silver. It is adorned with a rectangular Carnelian stone with an intaglio: a profiled wild boar above which the Roman numeral XX (20) is engraved.

The wild boar is the emblem of Legion XX. The shoulders of the ring are decorated with floral motifs. The ring is in good condition. Legio XX Valeria Victrix (meaning: Valiant and Victorious 20th Legion) is a legion of the Roman army probably raised by Emperor Augustus around 31 BC. Initially assigned to Hispania Tarraconensis, it took part in the Cantabrian Wars from 25 to 13 BC before being reassigned to the Rhine after the disaster of the Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD. It is one of the legions used by Emperor Claudius for the invasion of Britain in 43, under the command of General Plautus. Condition: Very good, can be worn, cleaned by a professional. Inner diameter: 59 on the ring sizer. Dimensions of the Carnelian: 1.1 cm x 0.9 cm. Origin: Cyprus - Private collection.

The island of Cyprus was part of the Roman Empire from 58 BC. The Christianization of the Eastern Roman Empire transformed it into the Byzantine Empire to which the island continued to belong until 649 and from 965 to 1192.