Fibulae, such as this piece, were worn by both Roman soldiers and subjects across the empire. They served both a decorative and practical function, being used to fasten articles of clothing, such as cloaks or togae. They often took on the form of stylised animals, with zoomorphic brooches being one of the most popular designs of plate brooches. Animals were a favoured decorative motif across Roman art, either in association with specific deities or myths, or as popular domestic animals. Cicadas, often representing rebirth and sometimes associated with the god Apollo, feature time and time again in Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and literature, written about by writers such as Plato, Hesiod, Homer, and Pliny the Elder. They were often depicted in Roman art, appearing on jewellery, on intaglios, as brooches, such as this example, and on coins, among other things.
To discover more on Roman and Celtic brooches, please see our relevant blog post: Roman and Celtic Fibulae
