Subasta Bidspirit | Roman carnelian intaglio depicting Fortuna

Roman carnelian intaglio depicting Fortuna Tyche - ITEM: Intaglio depicting Fortuna Tyche MATERIAL: Carnelian CULTURE: Roman PERIOD: 1st - 2nd Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 10 mm x 8 mm CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex Dutch private collection, acquired between 1980 - 1990 Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export Licence. If you are from outside the European Union, we will have to apply for the export licence again for your country, this takes 3 to 5 weeks and has a cost of 5% of the hammer price, this amount will be added to the final invoice. Fortuna, known as Tyche in Greek culture, was the goddess embodying luck, fortune, and the unpredictable nature of fate. In both Greek and Roman mythologies, she was worshipped as a powerful deity who could bestow both good and bad fortune upon mortals. Tyche was especially revered in the Greek cities of the Hellenistic period, where rapidly changing political fortunes and the rise and fall of rulers made her influence feel immediate and essential. As the goddess of fortune, she was often depicted holding symbols that represented chance and fate, such as a cornucopia, symbolizing abundance, or a rudder, showing her role in steering the course of people’s lives. Fortuna was sometimes associated with Nemesis, the goddess of retribution, underscoring the belief that fortune could be both a blessing and a potential pitfall if handled poorly. In art, Tyche was commonly portrayed with a crown shaped like city walls, known as a mural crown, symbolizing her role as the protector and patroness of cities. Cities throughout the Hellenistic world, like Antioch, honored her as their guardian deity, believing that her favor could bring prosperity and stability, while her displeasure might lead to calamity. Her imagery with the cornucopia also highlights her role in bringing good fortune, wealth, and abundance to those under her protection. Tyche’s popularity increased during times of uncertainty, as the Greek world transitioned from the rule of individual city-states to larger Hellenistic kingdoms. Worshipers offered sacrifices and prayers, hoping to secure her favor in uncertain political and economic times, where luck and the goddess's favor were seen as essential for success and survival. In Roman culture, Fortuna's role expanded as she was associated with a wide array of personal and state concerns. Fortuna Primigenia, for instance, was worshipped as a goddess of fortune from birth, believed to influence the fate of each individual from their very first moments.