Roman - Roman Sarcophagus with Flying Erotes, about 230

Roman

Sarcophagus with Flying Erotes, about 230

Crystalline Greek (Thrasian?) marble, 50.8 x 195.6 x 57.2 cm (20 x 77 x 22 1/2 in.)

Commentary

This sarcophagus presents a common formula for memorializing the deceased during the 3rd century CE. Two nude erotes, or cupids, stretch along the front panel in flight. At center they hold a clipeus, or medallion, enclosing a portrait of the deceased—a female with a hairstyle dating to around 230 CE. Below the portrait are the personifications of the Earth and the Ocean, Tellus and Okeanos, whose presence on the sarcophagus invokes the cyclical nature of life.