AN ITALIAN MODEL OF A ROSTRAL COLUMN IN ROSSO ANTICO MARBLE MID 19TH CENTURY 43cm high Provenance: The Simon Neal Collection Rostral columns decorated with the prows or rams of conquered ships, known as 'rostra', were erected to celebrate naval victories in ancient Greece and Rome. The inscription on this example reads: GAIVS DVILIVS PRIMVS TRIVMPH VM NAVALEM EGIT HAEC VICTORIA PERGRATA ROMANIS FVIT TERRA ENIM INVICTI IAM MARI VALEBANT. It celebrates the first victory of the Roman naval commander Gaius Duilius. It is a reconstruction of the ancient rostral column dedicated to him celebrating the naval battle of Mylae which stood in the Roman Forum. Some remnants of the inscription are now in the Capitoline Museum, Rome.