Silver drinking cups with relief decoration were very popular in the 1st centuries B.C. and A.D. Cups were sometimes made in pairs to encourage conversation about the scenes on the vessels. Cupids, scenes of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine (Greek Dionysos), and mythological narratives decorated most Roman tableware. Philosophical and political themes also appeared on silver vessels, as did pastoral and hunting scenes. Such imagery signaled the culture of their owner and stimulated intellectual conversation during and after dining.

Concepts

silver

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Additional Tags

relief, art of classical antiquity, khan academy, roman silversmiths, roman grave relief, decorated silver drinking cups

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Classroom Considerations

• Knovation Readability Score: 3 (1 low difficulty, 5 high difficulty)