Two new Roman bronzes with Suebian nodus from Brigetio

Abstract

The depiction of foreign men with their hair tied in a knot is a well known subject in Roman art. This was the distinctive hairstyle of some Germanic tribes. According to Tacitus this nodus was typically worn by free Suebian men by combing their long hair to the front and tying it together.1 These representations are most usually found in the provinces along the border of the Germanic tribes, but some are also known from Rome itself and even from barbarian territories. Two bronze pieces depicting a male head and a bust with the Suebian nodus were recently uncovered during the summer excavations of the Department of Classical and Roman Archaeology of the Eötvös Loránd University (Budapest) in the ancient Roman town of Brigetio (Komárom/Szőny-Vásártér).