Sarcophagus of Scipio Barbatus

Cut from volcanic tufa and capped with a simple lid, this sarcophagus once lay in the Tomb of the Scipios on the Via Appia. Its long inscription—written in early, rhythmic Latin—names Lucius Cornelius Scipio Barbatus, praises his lineage, and records his military and civic honor. The piece is as much document as monument: a rare, authoritative voice from the early Republic. Clean profiles, restrained mouldings, and the big-letter text speak a language of simplicity and pride.