Roman, Imperial Period, maybe Roman Levant, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A repousse silver pendant showing a well-rendered, seated Venus speaking to a much smaller, standing figure of Mercury. They are within a thin, raised border, with a curved over loop for suspension. The iconography of the larger Venus compared to the smaller Mercury may relate to the cult of the Heliopolitan Triad. This was originally a Canaanite cult that the Romans adopted when they conquered the city of Heliopolis in modern day Lebanon. The god Ba'al became Jupiter Heliopolitanus, Astarte became Venus Heliopolitana, and Adon became Mercury, son of Jupiter and Venus. The Romans built a temple to the Triad, and votives to the cult have been found in the region. This would make an excellent and wearable pendant today! Size: 1.1" W x 1.3" H (2.8 cm x 3.3 cm) (2.2 g)

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#122964

Fine age patina; small loss from upper left (facing) corner. Suspension cord in photograph not included.