Bronze Inscribed Ring

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Roman or greek bronze ring with inscription

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Material  Bronze/Copper Alloy
Dimensions 2.0cm long x 2.1cm wide
Roman Empire/Byzantine 2nd to 4th Century AD
Description  

A bronze finger ring with two crescent shaped pieces side by side on the bezel with a groove down the middle which tapers into a partially split band.  This ring is a fairly small size and is most likely a modern US size 5-6.

These two crescent shapes have inscribed text on them in Greek

A C T

AXI

This translate to a Greek (Jewish name) ASTACHUS in a positive sense, basically meaning "Astachus' Ring".(1)  There are examples of these Roman Provincial rings being found in other areas of the edges of the Roman empire, such as this example, found in the Black Sea area, meaning Pegasus. That ring was dated to the 2nd to 4th Century.(2)

 

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Side View

 

 

 

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(1) References to text style: ILLAN, Tal; Lexicon of Jewish Names in Late Antiquity: Palestine 200-650 p.612

(2) Reference: Thanks to Dimitri Shimarov for contacting me in 2015 with the new information.

**Note on background. Close up view of the wall of the Colosseum of Pula, Croatia. Picture taken 2014