6 



On an ancient Monument, 



where our stone Sphinx was discovered. The little image ex- 

 hibits, in its present state, no further compound than of the 

 lion and the virgin ; and, from the arrangement of the hair re- 

 sembling- that of Julia Maesa, or of her daughter Julia Scemias 

 (mother of the Emperor Heliogabalus), as well as from its infe- 

 riority of style and execution, it is doubtless of a later time than 

 the large Sphinx ; not appearing to claim any earlier date than 

 about the beginning of the third century of our era. 



But, although I do not feel myself at liberty to refer the age 

 of our stone monument to an earlier time than that of the first 

 Emperor Claudius, as will be hereafter shewn ; yet I consider 

 that we are fully authorized in tracing the respect for the Sphinx 

 symbol, that would appear to have been entertained by the inha- 

 bitants of Colonia Camulodunum, as well by the indigenous 

 Briton, as by the Roman colonist, to a higher origin, even to 

 the time of Augustus. We learn from Pliny, from Suetonius, 

 and from Dion Cassius, that the image of a sphinx was, during 

 a certain period of the life of Augustus, employed by that em- 

 peror as his seal. We find also the figure of the sphinx upon 

 the Roman coins of * his time : but what comes more directly 



No. 1. No, 



" Upon the passage referred to in Suetonius, Laevinus Torrentius has the 

 following comment : " (De Sphinge) et eodem fortassis referendum quod 

 T. Carisii, qui sub Augusto III. vir monetalis fuit, numismata sphingem 

 prsefertmt." See also Morelli and Illustrations by Agostini in Reg. Imp. 

 Rom. Numism, No. 17. tab. 12. 



t No. 1. " Obv. CVNO. The bust of a winged figure, possibly a Victory. 

 Rev. TASCIO. A Sphinx, from a coin of Augustus.— No. 2. Obv. CVNO. 

 A Sphinx. Rev. CAM. Qu. A British warrior with the head of an enemy 

 in his right hand ?" See British Coins, plate 4 and 5, Nos. 8 and 25 in Ru- 

 ding's Jlnnai*.— No.3. Obv. CVNO. A Sphinx. Rev. CAMVLODVNO. 



