Ancient Roman jewellery served as a powerful reflection of social status, personal identity, and cultural exchange throughout the vast Roman Empire. Romans favoured gold, silver, and richly coloured gemstones that were popularly used for signet rings, amulets, and engraved intaglios. While nose rings were not a typical adornment among Romans in Italy, they did appear in regions absorbed into the empire, particularly in the Near East, Egypt, and North Africa, where they held longstanding cultural significance related to wealth, marital status, and protection. As Rome expanded, it absorbed the jewellery customs of these diverse provinces, creating a blended aesthetic in which traditional Roman metalwork coexisted with local adornment practices. This fusion contributed to the rich variety of jewellery styles found across the empire, from elegant gold chains and pendants to distinctive facial jewellery worn by certain cultural groups within Roman rule.
To discover more about jewellery in the Ancient World, please visit our relevant post: Jewellery in Antiquity.
