A Description of the Collection of Ancient Marbles in the British Museum Volume 11; With Engravings (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1861 Excerpt: ...it appears that it was dedicated to the memory of Olympias by her freed-man, Epithymetus. The inscription is--MEMORIAE CL. Tl. F. OLYMPIADIS. EPITHYMETVS. LIB. PATRONAE. PIENTISSIMAE which may be translated--" To the memory of Claudia Olympias, his most affectionate patron, the daughter of Tiberius or Titus Epithymetus, her freed-man dedicates this bust." There is no record from which it can be determined who this lady was, or whether she was connected or not with the Imperial family; but the style of head-dress, and the use of the word "pientissimae"--a later form than the more usual "piissimae"--suggests that the period of its execution was not earlier than the commencement of the second century. Though evidently not intended for one of them, there is a striking analogy between this bust and those of Marciana, Matidia, and Julia Sabina. The head-dress is, probably, that called Galericulum or Galerum, (1) a covering for the head made of hair and analogous to the wig, which is noticed in many places of ancient authors. It may also be remarked that the drapery she wears is very unusual, indeed, the only other instance in which we have met with it is on a bronze bust of an Amazon in the collection of the late R. Payne Knight, Esq. It would appear that, under the outer garment or stola, there passes over the left shoulder another and fringed inner one, not, improbably, a form of the tunic or indusium, and which. represents one of the various Oriental attires introduced into Rome about the first century of our aera, and adopted by the followers of the foreign sects. The outer dress has a narrow border, or hem, and is fastened at the shoulders by two small fibulae. This hem may, possibly, represent the stripe of colour round the neck...