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While the literary sources I've seen don't mention specific fingers favored for wearing signet rings or rings of office, I have seen several that mention the wearing (by men) of multiple rings, even sometimes on the upper joints of the finger rather than all the way on. A fairly complete list of literary references can be found in the introductory material of M.A. Marshall, 1907, Catalogue of the Finger Rings in the British Museum, Greek, Etruscan, and Roman, British Museum: London.
A couple of examples:
Seneca (Quaestiones Naturales, Book 7.31) mentions wearing of 'gems/rings' on every joint of the hand.
Petronius (Satyricon, 32) describes Trimalchio as wearing a plated bronze ring on the pinky of his left hand.
Martial (Book 11.59), possibly joking, mentions a man who wore rings on every finger because he didn't have a ring box.
The Marshall book also has literary references for the division between the different metal types and status (Pliny the Elder and Livy), granting of rings to envoys on imperial business or as a mark of rank (Pliny, Scriptores Historiae Augustae, Cassius Dio). Well worth a look if you can get your hands on a copy!
L. M. Anderson
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Quote: I have seen several that mention the wearing (by men) of multiple rings, even sometimes on the upper joints of the finger rather than all the way on.
Thanks, Lisa. I was just about to mention this. It has been my understanding that rings were worn at the smaller knuckles, rather than closest to the hand they way we do it.
Aurelia Coritana
aka Laura Sweet
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Si vales, gaudeo. (If you are well, then I am happy.)
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Quote:The clasped hands looks almost identical to the Irish 'Claddagh' rings.
I've attached a photo of a Roman clasped hands ring that my husband gave me as a gift. I don't have all the details about it, though. I just enjoy wearing it. (I know what I just said about the knuckles, but this ring is a bit large on me.)
Aurelia Coritana
aka Laura Sweet
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Si vales, gaudeo. (If you are well, then I am happy.)
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The rings that would have been worn that way (on the first or second joints) were probably very small--there's some debate about some of the rings that have been found from the Roman period, whether they were worn by children or not. If all small rings were children's rings, there would be a disproportionally large number of them (though there is at least one literary source that notes children wearing jewellery). Instead, it's likely that many of the smaller sized rings now extant were worn on the upper joints, and would have been rather snug in that case, not overly prone to loss. And in battle, even a ring worn all the way down the finger, the way we do, would be a liability if it were caught on something, so I would be not be surprised if they took care to remove their rings for battle.
L. M. Anderson
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Given that the only Roman soldiers prior to the third century known to have worn rings were optiones, and that this discussion is of rings in general, would this thread not be better off in the Civilian forum?
Crispvs
Who is called \'\'Paul\'\' by no-one other than his wife, parents and brothers. :!: <img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_exclaim.gif" alt=":!:" title="Exclamation" />:!:
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According to Croom, A.T. 2005 Roman Fashion & Clothing, Septimius Severus extended the right of the higher classes of Roman citizen to wear a gold ring to soldiers in A.D. 197.
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Birley, A. 2002 Garrison Life at Vindolanda notes a list of rings on the back of Cerialis' dinner clothing list. He was the commander of the VIIII Cohort of Batavians stationed there aroung the turn of the first century, but it is not certain that the rings were his or worn by him.
