Roman Ship Prows with Sea Monsters – Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae
Engraving from Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae (Leiden, 1704–1725), edited by Johann Georg Graevius and published by Pieter van der Aa.
This plate illustrates fragments of Roman ship prows (rostra), decorated with sculptural reliefs of sea creatures and mythological figures. At the top is a circular medallion with Latin inscription, while below appear four detailed examples:
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A prow adorned with a Triton blowing a conch, accompanied by dolphins.
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Another relief showing hippocamps and sea monsters intertwined beneath a lattice railing.
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A fragment with a marine creature surging forward, carved in bold relief.
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A final section depicting a coiled sea-dragon, emphasizing the fantastical imagery of Roman naval art.
Such decorative prows symbolized naval might and divine protection, transforming functional ship parts into vessels charged with mythological and religious meaning. Early modern antiquarians prized these remains as evidence of Rome’s maritime power and artistic invention.
Leiden between 1704 and 1725
Each Plate Approx 28 x 48 cm (Full Sheet Including Margins)
The Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum Italiae formed part of the monumental Thesaurus Antiquitatum et Historiarum series compiled by Johann Georg Graevius (1632–1703) and published in Leiden between 1704 and 1725. Overseen by the Dutch publisher Pieter van der Aa, the folio volumes combined texts, inscriptions, and richly engraved illustrations of monuments and antiquities from across Italy.
Many of the plates, such as those from the Monumenta Brixiana section devoted to finds from Brescia, document Roman statues, coins, inscriptions, and architectural remains. Executed in van der Aa’s workshop, the engravings often drew on earlier antiquarian sources but were presented in a format that reflected the 18th-century revival of interest in classical antiquity.
Conceived as a comprehensive resource for scholars, the Thesaurus also became a visual library for artists and thinkers of the early Neoclassical age, preserving and disseminating the legacy of ancient Italy through both scholarship and imagery.
