Aucissa Fibula Group
The Aucissa fibula group, a Roman tube hing bow fibula (class B6) type, dated to the 1st century A.D. is made up of the main Aucissa type fibulae and a large variety of derivatives types. The standard type Aucissa fibulae are tube hinged with ribbon like bow.
Almgren pl. 11, 242
Typology:
fibula, Roman
fibula,
bow fibula,
tube hing
fibula
Dates: c. 30/10 BC - AD 50 (Augustan to Claudian period), though some were used into the
Flavian period or later (they are found in
Dacia where they likely came during
Domitian 's or Trajan 's invasion or later).
Distribution: Origin in
north Italy. Used throughout the Empire and in Barbaricum. Used by the Roman military. There was a workshop at
Siscia.
Notes: Some Aucissa
fibulae have a word molded on the
head, above the hinge. These are thought to be the name of the manufacturer, similar to the name found stamped on the base of Roman oil
lamps. The most famous name is "AVCISSA" from which the type-name is derived. The AVCISSA workshop was located somewhere in northern Italy, though is likely a Celtic-derived name. Other names are found, especially on Aucissa
Fibulae from
Pannonia.
In addition to the
standard type with flat ribbon bow with several parallel rides running down it, there are variants with half-round cross-section bow, usually with a single line down the middle, with a very narrow half-round cross-section bow, and with a fully round cross-section bow. However, all of these variations share the same form of
head and foot and the high arch of the bow.
Some authors, like
Bojovic, have divided the Aucissa
type based on the end of the foot. The normal
type (
Bojovic II var. 1) having a well-formed catch with a large knob on the end, with a variant (
Bojovic II var. 2) having a simpler catch with either a very tiny simple foot knob or no knob at all. According to
Bojovic this latter variant originated at
Siscia.
Image: The classic Aucissa fibula type. Note the hinge mechanism, the high arch of the bow, and the flat ribbon bow form with raised central rib. (SC Collection)
Image: Front view of the same Aucissa fibula with typical form of the head. A name, such as AVCISSA, would appear on either the wider top line or the narrower central line, though this example has no writing. (SC Collection)
Image: View of the foot of the same fibula showing that it is a standard (variant 1) Aucissa type with the large button or knob at the end of the catch. (SC Collection)
Image: Though it is hard to be certain, given the damage to the catch, this is possibly a Bojovic variant 2 Aucissa without a knob on the catch. (SC Collection)
Image: This tiny Aucissa fibula variant (only 31 mm long!) has a semi-circular cross-section bow, no knob on the foot, and, interestingly, a small ring riveted to the head. A chain was once attached to this ring and likely attached to a ring on another fibula - likely of the same type though perhaps a completely different type. (SC Collection)
Image: This Aucissa variant fibula, heavily damaged, has a nearly circular cross-section bow. More unusually, is appears to have had a spring instead of a hinge. (SC Collection)
Two-Pin Aucissa Derivative Fibulae
Typology:
fibula, Roman
fibula,
bow fibula, Aucissa
fibula,
tube hing
fibulaReferences:
Lokosek I (bow tapers like
Alesia) 1-125;
Lokosek II (bow wide at
head like Wolf) 1-100;
Koscevic T II.13;
Bojovic IV var. 1
Dates: Most examples are thought to date from the first to early 2nd century AD. Dating is likely c. AD 1 - 100 for Wolf
Type bows; c. AD 1 - 125 for bows that taper like the
Alesia Type; and c. AD 100 - 200 for knobbed variation 2. Some authors believe that the
type does not descent from the Aucissa
type but is an indigenous Illyrian design from the late 2nd or early 1st century BC. Nevertheless, even they agree to the 1st century AD dating of most surviving examples.
Distribution: Origin in central Dalmatia among the late Illyrian population. Found in
Illyria, Albania, and
Pannonia.
Notes: Generally found with a bow similar to the Wolf or
Alesia Types but has two parallel pins. The foot ends in a square tray that acts as a catch for the two pins. A
rare sub-type (
Bojovic IV var. 2) is known with rows of large knobs along either a plain or a twin divided bow. The bow of this variation 2 thus somewhat resembles the Bagendon
type.
Image: A two-pin Aucissa Variant fibula. Note the two indentations in the head for the two pins and the tray-shaped catch. The decoration, typical of this type, is also close to that of the Wolf type, as well as some Aucissa types. (SC Collection)
Found in several sub-types depending mainly on the form of the head and the length of the bow. Decoration of the foot of the bow often includes a two circular "eyes" under a chevron (representing ears( and over a long "snout" giving the appearance of a wolf 's head - from whence the type-name is derived.
Regular (Square Head)
Typology:
fibula, Roman
fibula,
bow fibula, Aucissa
fibula,
tube hing
fibulaReferences:
Bojovic III var. 2;
Genceva 15
Dates: Likely 2nd century AD, but possibly used into 3rd century or later.
Distribution: Middle Danube, upper
Moesia, modern Serbia; especially in Roman camps.
Notes: Examples with decoration down the entire bow are known as
Bojovic III var. 1 and are a Dalmatian variant of the regular
type.
Image: A standard Wolf fibula. This example is very high quality manufacture with a thick and well-moulded bow. The wolf 's face can just be seen at the foot. (SC Collection)
Image: This view of the foot of the same Wolf fibula shows the wolf 's head design. Eyes, ears and snout can all be seen. (SC Collection)
Image: The simple square head of this Wolf variant is clear. This example has three "eyes" on the top of the head and two more (not visible in this image) above a crude wolf 's head design at the foot. (SC Collection)
References:
Bojovic III var. 3;
Dates: 2nd century AD
Distribution: Northern Serbia, northwestern
MoesiaNotes: The
head is triangular shaped, or tapering, not square like the above two types.
Bojovic gives two sub-types: III.3.a with a ribbon bow and III.3.b with a thicker bow.
Short Wolf Fibulae (Wolf-like, but tapering Alesia-like Bow)
Typology: fibula, Roman fibula, bow fibula, Aucissa fibula, tube hing fibula
References: Bojovic III var. 4
Dates: Most likely dated to the 2nd century AD.
Distribution: Middle and Lower Danube
Notes: Bojovic divides it into two sub-types III.4.a with a wide, low catch and III.4.b with a tall narrow catch.
References:
Bojovic III var. 5;
Dates: Likely 2nd century AD.
Distribution: Northern Serbia (
Viminacium region).
Notes: A large iron version of the Short variant (see above). The bow looks like a long, simple
Alesia fibula though the catch is like the Wolf
type.
Typology: fibula, Roman fibula, bow fibula, Aucissa fibula, tube hing fibula
References: Garbsch A236; Bojovic II var. 4
Dates: Dating of this type is not clear. Those who emphasize its clear similarity to the Aucissa type believe it is a late Aucissa variant dating from the late 1st century AD to c. AD 125. This is likely correct. However, those that believe it is a crossbow off-shoot assign very late dates of c. AD 250 - 325 or even AD 300 - 425.
Distribution: Upper Danube (Pannonia to the Iron Gates) and NE Italy.
Notes: This type appears to be descended from the Certosa Type, and, in particular, the Aucissa Type. It has a pair of knobs at the sides of head, plus one at the end of the foot. If the side knobs are ignored, it looks just like an Aucissa fibula and even shares the "eye" decoration common on many Aucissa examples. However, the large knobs have led some authors to place the type very late as an off-shoot of the crossbow fibula. As the type is almost exactly like the Aucissa and shares no similarities with the late crossbow type, other than the knobs, it is far more likely that it is an Aucissa variant.
Image: A Hrusica fibula. The placement of the three knobs can be seen as well as the thick square-section bow. (SC Collection)
Image: Close-up of the front of the Hrusica fibula from the image above. The two knobs at the side of the head can be seen as can the dot-and-circle decoration common on these, and several other types of, fibulae. (SC Collection)
References
Almgren, O.
Studien über nordeuropäische Fibelformen. (Liepzig, 1923).
PDFBohme, A. "Die Fibeln der Kastelle Saalburg und Zugmantel" in
Saalburg Jahrbuch, XXIX. (1973).
Bojoviae, D.
Rimske Fibule Singidunuma. Muzej Grada Bograda Serija - Zbirke i Legati Katalog XII. (Beograd, 1983).
Ettlinger, E.
Die rimischen Fibeln in der Schweiz. (
Bern, 1973).
Feugere, M. Les fibules en Gaule meridionale de la conquite a la fin du Ve sicle apres J.-C. (
Paris, 1985).
Garbsch, J. "Die norisch-pannonische Frauentracht im 1. und 2. Jahrhundert" in
MBV 11 (
Munich, 1965).
Genceva, E.
Les Fibules Romaines de Bulgarie de la fin du 1er s. av. J.-C. à la fin du VIe s. ap. J.-C. (Veliko Trnovo, 2004).
PDF
Hull, M. "The
Brooches at Bagendon" in E. Clifford,
Bagendon, a Belgic Oppidum (1961). pp. 167 ff.
Jobst, W.
Die römischen Fibeln aus Lauriacum. (Wimmer, Linz, 1975).
Koscevic, R.
Antičke fi bule s područja Siska. (
Zagreb, 1980).
PDF Kovrig, I.
Die Haupttypen der kaiserzeitlichen Fibeln in Pannonien. (
Budapest, 1937).
PDFLokosek, I. "Lučne fibule na samir 's devine igle iz Arčeološkog muzeja u Splitu" in
Vjesnik za
arheologiju i historiju dalmatinsku (
VAHD), issue 81, 1988.
Riha, E.
Die römischen Fibeln aus Augst und Kaiseraugst. (1979).
PDF
Ritterling, E. Das Frührömische Lager bei
Hofheim im Taunus. (Wiesbaden, 1913).
Separovic, T. "Aucissa fibule S natpisom iz zbirke Muzeja hrvatskih arheoloških spomenika" in
SHP III/125 (1998).
PDF
Tivaclarne, V. & K. Berecz.
Aucissa and Enamelled Brooches in Pannonia and the neighbouring Barbaricum. (
Budapest, 2008).
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