Iconography of Victoria. Nikoma(chos) in a Roman Intaglio from the City of Magdala (Migdal, Iudaea/Syria Palaestina)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5944/etfvii.9.2021.30359Keywords:
Iconography; Roman intaglios; Nikomachos; winged Victory; Nike; biga; MagdalaAgencies:
Universidad Pública de Navarra, Universidad Rey Juan CarlosAbstract
This article analyses the iconography of a piece found at the Magdala excavation site (Migdal, Galilee, Israel). It is made of stone and depicts a winged Victory on a chariot, using a whip to initiate the march, a type of scene of great significance in the history of art. Above the image of the Victory is the inscription Nikoma(chou), which most likely refers to the name of the owner of the intaglio. The style, the iconography of the piece and the chronology of the archaeological context suggest a chronology of the 1st century AD or somewhat later. This is an exceptional piece, based on the combination of epigraphy and iconography on the same surface, as in this case text and image are related, and complement each other. For this reason, the iconographic study of the carving is crucial to understanding the artistic value of this tiny work of art.
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