A curved vitis or a pair of twisted ropes? : The iconography of maritime command on the stele of Liccaeus, Apsorus

english

2025

volume 30, issue 1

epigraphy   iconography   Liccaeus   naval centurion   Osor (Croatia)   Ravennate fleet   tombstones

ZRC SAZU, Umetnostnozgodovinski inštitut Franceta Steleta
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

The article examines the tombstone of the naval centurion Liccaeus, which was discovered in the village of Osor (Apsorus) on the island of Cres. According to the inscription, it appears that a public site was allocated for the monument, indicating the honorand’s significance to the local community. Liccaeus is depicted wearing a tunic and a sagum, but the most unusual feature is the object he holds in his hand. This object has often been interpreted as a rope tied into a knot, similar to those used for mooring ships. Little is known about the appearance of the command staff, vitis, that was a distinctive symbol of also naval centurions. However, depictions on Ravenna tombstones from the Early Imperial period which feature an object similar to knot suggest that, during this era, the vitis for naval centurions may have been represented differently. Given the absence of any attributes on the tombstone that would directly associate the deceased with his rank, it is possible that Liccaeus is holding a vitis, which, by its appearance, could also refer to his maritime skills.

15.01.2026