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Reference: RNA2 / Cat. No.
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Period:
Roman
Origin:
Tunisia
Date:
120 – 200 AD
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Description:
On discus: personification of Africa, female bust facing, wearing elephant headdress surmounted by trunk flanked by tusks, at r. is a larger tusk.
Base marked MNOVGERM
Marcus Novius Germanicus
Manufacture:
Mould made.
Condition:
Handle missing.
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Notes:
Cf. Deneauve, 727-8, 908; Rosenthal & Sivan, 143 (stamped IVNIALEXI).
Pub: D. Knell, 'Ancient Pottery Lamps', Antique Collecting, June 2004.
Comments:
A signature in the form of a tria nomina comprises three parts. Taking this lampmaker as an example: M or 'Marcus' is the praenomen, or personal name. NOV or 'Novius' would be the nomen, signifying the gens, roughly the equivalent of a clan name or wider family. GERM or 'Germanicus' would be the cognomen, which began as a nickname but became a more specific family name after Republican times.
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