Legionary rings

[TITVS SABATINVS AQVILIVS]

Anyone can tell me how the rings of the legionary (rankers) soldiers were, if they put on them?<br>
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Are they all like that one Maximus has in the “movieâ€ÂÂ

[Matthew Amt]

Ave!<br>
If I recall correctly, Roman citizens were traditionally permitted to wear a plain iron ring, silver and/or gold for the upper classes. But I'm not sure if this was worn on a particular finger, or how many of these "traditional" rings have been found. My guess is that by the Empire they were one of those nice quaint traditions that got hauled out on formal ocassions, and that people pretty much wore what they wanted to on their fingers (while keeping the fashions of the day firmly in mind, of course).<br>
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Graham Sumner's book says that a large silver ring was one of the symbols of an optio, but I don't know what that's based on--I hadn't run across it before (or since). Torques and armillae were awarded for valor, but I don't think rings were.<br>
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LOTS of bronze rings have been found, both on civilian and military sites, many with a design on the bezel that could be used as a seal, or with a setting for a carved stone. Loose stones are also found.<br>
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It's generally safe to assume that ANYTHING in "Gladiator" is NOT historically accurate!<br>
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Anyone got more solid info on this, particularly the iron "citizen's" ring?<br>
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Vale,<br>
Matthew/Quintus, Legio XX <p></p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

There's a large (3 cm diam.) and massive golden ring with a representation of Minerva and the inscription<br>
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OPT(io) LEG(ionis) I M(inerviae) P(iae) F(idelis)<br>
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around it, found in what is today the very north of the city of Cologne (Köln-Worringen), kept in the Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Bonn and dated second or third century AD.<br>
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Reference: H. G. Horn (ed.), <i> Die Römer in Nordrhein-Westfalen</i>. Stuttgart (Konrad Theiss Verlag) 1987, p. 112 (fig. 55). Maybe somebody can upload a picture here (counting again on you, Jasper...).<br>
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Greetings,<br>
<br>
Martin <p></p><i></i>

[Praefectusclassis]

Very sorry to disappoint Martin, haven't got that book handy. <p>Greets<BR>
<BR>
Jasper</p><i></i>

[Anonymous]

I <i> know</i> I have to get my own scanner some time...<br>
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Greetings,<br>
<br>
Martin <p></p><i></i>

[Guest]

Salve,<br>
<br>
For the iron and gold rings worn by Romans see Pliny the Elder's <i> Naturalis historia</i> 33. Iron rings found at sites of a military nature include one with a <i> gemma</i> at Kalkriese (Fansa, <i> Varusschlacht und Germanenmythos</i>, picture 6, Wiegels and Woesler, <i> Arminius und die Varusslacht</i>, page 87, pic 16a+b) and an intaglio from an iron ring found at Birdoswald (Wilmott, <i> Birdoswald Roman fort</i>, plate 15). The former is generally themed while the latter displays an eagle and two standards.<br>
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Regards,<br>
<br>
Sander van Dorst <p></p><i></i>