The Roman phalera, or military medal, features Medusa with two wings atop her head.Image credit: The Vindolanda Trust
Posted on 07/09/2023 6:22:21 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
A nearly 1,800-year-old silver military medal featuring the snake-covered head of Medusa has been unearthed in what was once the northern edge of the Roman Empire.
Excavators discovered the winged gorgon on June 6 at the English archaeological site of Vindolanda, a Roman auxiliary fort that was built in the late first century, a few decades before Hadrian's Wall was constructed in A.D. 122 to defend the empire against the Picts and the Scots.
The "special find" is a "silver phalera (military decoration) depicting the head of Medusa," according to a Facebook post from The Vindolanda Trust, the organization leading the excavations. "The phalera was uncovered from a barrack floor, dating to the Hadrianic period of occupation." ... "From Greek times on, this is a potent apotropaic to ward off bad things, to keep bad things from happening to you," Pollini said. Medusa's serpent-surrounded head is also seen on Roman-era tombs, mosaics in posh villas and battle armor. For instance, in the famous first-century mosaic of Alexander the Great from Pompeii, Alexander is depicted with the face of Medusa on his breastplate, Pollini noted.
Medusa is also featured on other Roman-era phalerae, but the details vary. For instance, the Vindolanda Medusa has wings on her head...
Because phalerae were awarded for "valor in battle," military men would attach them to straps and wear them during local parades, Pollini said, noting that the discovery of the Vindolanda phalera is rare.
"There aren't very many of them, obviously, because they were a precious metal," he said. "Eventually, most of them were probably melted down."
Many phalerae are found in burials, but the Vindolanda one appears to be lost. "This isn't something you would toss away," Pollini said.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
The Roman phalera, or military medal, features Medusa with two wings atop her head.Image credit: The Vindolanda Trust
It looks strangely like Nancy Pelosi. Is she that old?
The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, alpha sort:
Cool find.
I wholeheartedly agree. It’s in mighty nice shape too.
I suspect that it’s a tad more likely that the Roman-era likeness of Alexander the Great shows a medal modeled on a Roman-era medal, rather than the Roman-era medal was modeled after Alexander’s.
So it was a metal model of a medal given to show mettle?
;^)
“Silver medal featuring winged Medusa discovered at Roman fort near Hadrian’s Wall”
Better than the bronze, I guess.
Your post is a meta-modal muddle.
Lol, nice find, but now I’m a pillar of stone... thanks alot!
“a Roman auxiliary fort that was built in the late first century, a few decades before Hadrian’s Wall was constructed in A.D. 122 to defend the empire against the Picts and the Scots.”
As a descendant of Scottish troublemakers, it feels somewhat satisfying that my ancestors history of being a PITA goes back that far.
And the Medusa is cool too.
I wonder if it made the man to whom it belonged feel better about facing the wild Scotts who wanted his head for a bowl?
What, no vassal state coin collector’s album to go with?
Yeah, the archaeologists had to excavate it wearing dark glasses, it was a nuisance.
Your (ftm my) Scottish ancestors were in Ireland throughout the existence of Roman Britain, and didn't cross over to conquer Caledonia until the Romans had been gone for almost a century.
The establishment of the Dalraida conquest probably only happened because the Vikings hadn't reached the area yet, and their arrival in the British Isles was so overwhelming it still shows up in the DNA (usually, 20-40 percent Scandinavian DNA is found in modern Britons as well as their American descendants, mine was about 30, and most of my British forebears arrived here more than 300 years ago).
The real reason for the Romans having never finishing the conquest of the British Isles is, there wasn't anything that was worth the financing costs -- although apparently the 2nd century Romans did build an installation (probably evolved into a trading post) at Drumanagh north of modern (Viking/Norman) Dublin.
Hey, if the lazy vassals minted any coins worth collecting...
Better that a pillar of salt!
Vindolanda Medusa has wings on her head...
She aimed to Zoar, but it didn't Pan out.
Yeah, I forgot the Scotts were in Ireland and crossed over to Scotland. Might explain why the Irish can’t seem to get along with each other.😁
It looks more like Hillary to me. Maybe Nazi’s on the flip-side.
Ah, but gold! Thats the prize,,,
In classical antiquity, the image of the head of Medusa appeared in the evil-averting device known as the Gorgoneion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medusa
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