Mosaic Portrait of the Poet Alkman
Stone tesserae, mortar
Roman Period (late 2nd-3rd century AD)
Jerash, Jordan
This imaginary portrait of the Greek lyric poet Alkman (6th century BC) once formed part of the border of a large floor mosaic, along with portraits of other ancient Greek authors, the Seasons, and the Muses. Scenes from the life of the Greek god Dionysos filled the center of the mosaic, which probably adorned a dining room, or triclinium, in ancient Gerasa (modern Jerash).
The revelries of the god of wine were an appropriate subject for a dining room, where guests consumed wine served in elegant glasses and feasted on lavishly prepared foods. The portraits o Alkman and other classic Greek writers allude to the coultured conversation and display of learning that took place at elite dinner parties throughout the Roman Mediterranean.
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