Musical and dance motifs on Roman engraved gems of the Augustan Era

Abstract

This paper presents a selection of Roman engraved gems (cameos and intaglios) which are deco­rated with musical and dance motifs, focusing primarily on artifacts dated to the Augustan era. The iconography of gems from this era varies, including figures that hold or play a musical instru­ment or dance, or sometimes only a musical instrument that covers the surface. The musicians and dancers are usually figures derived from Greek mythology and religion. This paper has three aims: first, to classify the motifs according to the mythical figures or musical instruments that they rep­resent. Second, to present/describe their iconography, and third, to interpret, how these objects were used by Roman rulers. I divided the gems examined into four categories: a) objects related to Apollo’s iconography; b) Dionysian themes; c) musical motifs with tritons; and d) single musical instruments.