Citizen\'s ring

[Aetius Helvius Merula]

I came across references to this in a few books I've been reading. Mostly fiction; I wondered if it had any basis in fact. Supposedly it's an iron ring with the citizen's initials on it.

[Aurelia]

I've seen those references in fiction too. It seems to usually be a ring of iron or gold. I found a bronze ring on ebay listed as a citizen's ring, but I don't know if it's what you mean...

http://cgi.cafr.ebay.ca/2000-YEAR-OLD-R ... dZViewItem

[Aetius Helvius Merula]

That's what I was talking about. I was curious as to whether they were really a fixture of Roman society, or just an invention by modern day writers (and E-Bay types

[Medusa Gladiatrix]

I saw this discussion already on another Roman forum, so check out this link:

http://www.societasviaromana.net/phpBB2 ... php?t=1498

[Aurelia]

Great link, thanks!

[Aetius Helvius Merula]

Danke schoen, Svenja! The references to signet rings of the upper classes I've also come across before. From what I've read, it was the only piece of jewelry a good citizen with the right dignitas and gravitas was supposed to wear. Dandies weren't mentioned much, oddly enough...

[A. Flavius]

Hello,

I started that post myself. I've often fancied grabbing a hold of some sort of signet ring, styled after an original Roman one. However looking through pages of pictures seems to indicate that ring designs were as individual as the people who wore them.

Some dedicated to Gods, others to family, some just sported neat designs. I'm thinking of getting one with 'Eternal Rome, Light of the World', engraved on it. Although I'm still trying to translate that into Latin.

What sort of designs would people here go for?

[Aetius Helvius Merula]

I'd go for the name of your gens. Or an abbreviation of your name. Reason being, it's a signet ring. Used to seal documents. Or an image associated with you, or something you've done. Like a certain type of corona.

[richsc]

ring designs were as individual as the people who wore them

I got the impression looking through my book on the Snettisham horde, that many signet rings were mass produced or quickly produced, with engravings done with small tools very similar to Dremel tools. When magnified, you can see the cuts and the way they were just virtually hacked out on common themes.

[M. Demetrius]

Eternal Rome, Light of the World

Try "Roma aeterna, lux mundi" or "lux orbis"

But I'm no expert

[Aetius Helvius Merula]

Or something that would leave an impression on that recalcitrant son-in-law you never liked... :lol:

I guess that brings up the question..how detailed could you get, and still have the ring be legible? Perhaps as long as you go by that guideline, you'd be good.

[Felix Agrippa]

[ From what I've read, it was the only piece of jewelry a good citizen with the right dignitas and gravitas was supposed to wear. Dandies weren't mentioned much, oddly enough...[/quote]

Your correct on that however I am sure there were some people who over did it back then too.

[richsc]

In "Bankers of Puteoli", the evidence is that citizens, freedmen and slaves all had signet rings, and that they could all be called upon to witness business documents, and use their signet rings as well as signatures to attest to the contents of the contract.

[lvcivs]

Your correct on that however I am sure there
were some people who over did it back then too.

It has been mentioned on the History Channel, as well as in several text books that while a citizen was expected to wear only a signet ring (there was even an imperial decree stating as much) many wealthy citizens continued to wear multiple pieces of jewelery. It was just as much a sign of wealth as being able to serve your guests wine in glass as opposed to ceramic.

Another ring commonly worn was a a key ring - a ring with a filed metal projection that would turn the lock on that citizen's lock box, or perhaps even the door to their domus. A great example of it is given in the History Channel's series "Criminal History." Unfortunately, their web page does not have much footage of any of that discussion, instead focusing on body guards, watch dogs, and the locks themselves. (Search www.history.com for "Ancient Rome - Security" as I cannot directly link it).

[Felix Agrippa]

http://books.google.com/books?id=2JArAA ... +and+Roman )&pg=PR9&ots=wEahdCnnkv&sig=ASKx8psXM1yJuuNROYkmlZKBfKQ&prev=http://www.google.com/search%3Fsourceid%3Dnavclient%26ie%3DUTF-8%26rls%3DRNWE,RNWE:2006-03,RNWE:en%26q%3DCatalogue%2Bof%2Bthe%2BFinger%2BRings%2B(Greek%252C%2BEtruscan%2Band%2BRoman)&sa=X&oi=print&ct=result&cd=1#PPP1,M1

This has some info too, about rings.