5th-6th century AD. A stone bt edge carved in high relief on a roundel with beaded border, representing an imperial magistrate wearing a mantle (chlamys) fastened at the right shoulder and folded over the left shoulder leaving a long sleeved tunic visible, shaven face with almond-shaped eyes and incised pupils, long parted hair curled with the e of the Roman calamistrum. Cf. Daim, F., Ladstätter, S., Bizans Döneminde Ephesos, Istanbul, 2011, for the typology of sculptures; see Vermeule, C., ‘A Greek Theme and its survivals: the Ruler’s shield (tondo image) in Tomb and Temple’ in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society, vol.109, No.6 (Dec.10, 1965), pp.361-397; Vario, Il Meo delle civilta’ Anatoliche, Ankara, 1988; cf. Scrinari, V.S.N., Sculture Romane di Aquileia, Roma, 1972, figs.606-610. 490 grams, 10.7cm high (4 1/4"). From the late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister; from her collection formed 1960s-1990s. The representation of mythological characters and of high officials of the state inscribed in roundels (imagines clipeatae) was well-known in Roman art, originally derived from the Greek theme of the ruler’s shield in the tombs and temples. Splendid funerary imagines clipeatae of Roman Magistrates and citizens are preserved in the Meo Ostiense (Inv. 56), dated to the 1st-2nd centuries AD. Roundels with portrait bts are well known from Palmyra (MFA Boston, inv. no.10.78; Budapest, Fine Arts Meum, inv. no.8431), but wonderful specimens in bronze are also known from Banias (Syria, in Damasc Meum) and from Ankara (Trajanic bronze tondo from Roman Ancyra, see Vario, 1988, p.157, fig.224"). These images were even more abundant in the late Empire: it is worth remembering the early Theodosian imago clipeata of a warrior in the Staatlichen Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Hm 305, late 4th century AD) or the 4th century sculptures of gods from Aquileia. Our imago clipeata coulde from a sarcophag or from a public or funerary monument on which the owner was represented, maybe together with his wife or family.