3rd century AD. A bronze military eagle (Aquila) figurine with its wings tucked in, large stylised head in frontal position, feather detailing to the body and wings; grooved to the underside, pierced through the feet. Cf. Rolland, H., Bronzes Antiques de Haute Provence, Paris, 1965, item 272; see D'Amato, R., Roman Standards & Standard-Bearers, (1-2), Oxford, 2018-2019, for discussion on Roman standards. 62 grams, 52mm (2"). Ex an important Dutch collection; acquired on the European art market in the 1970s. Miniature eagles were usually copies of the main legionary standard, the Eagle (Aquila"). Each legion received his own eagle, symbol of the whole Legion, in silver (Cic.Catil.I, 24: aquila argentea; App. Civil War IV, 101"). Speaking of the eagles of Brutus and Cassius: Two eagles alighted upon the two silver eagles which surmounted the standards - ?? ??? ??????? ??? ??????? ??? ??????? ???????????? - pecking at them, or, as others say, protecting them"). The description of the late consular eagle (?????, army of Crassus crossing the Euphrates) is in Cassius Dio, XL,18: “the so called eagle of the army. It is a small shrine and in it perches a golden eagle. It is found in all the enrolled legions, and it is never moved from the winter-quarters unless the whole army takes the field; one man carries it on a long shaft, which ends in a sharp spike so that it can be set firmly in the ground”.