Amiteion

(or Amiteios)

3rd century BC

A late third century AD mosaic, discovered in a large Roman villa at Suweydie, near Baalbek, Lebanon, signed "ΑΜΙΤΕΙΩΝ ΕΠΟΙΕΙ" (Amiteion epoiei, Amiteion created it), shows the muse Calliope surrounded by subtitled portrait medallions of the Athenian philosopher Socrates and the Seven Sages: Solon of Athens ("nothing in excess"), Thales of Miletus ("a guarantor ruins himself"), Bias of Priene ("most people are bad"), Cleobulus of Lindos ("moderation is best"), Periander of Corinth ("practice makes perfect"), Pittacus of Mytilene ("know your opportunity") and Chilon of Sparta ("know thyself").

Antaios, son of Aiskerion

Late 2nd century AD

A geometric mosaic found in the exedra of the late 2nd century AD "Sanctuary of the Syrian Gods" on Delos bears a long Greek inscription stating that it was dedicated by Midas, son of Zenon of Herakleia. At the end of the inscription is the signature ANTAIOS AISKHRIONOS EPOIEI (Antaios son of Aiskerion made [it]).

This is one of only two signatures by mosaic artists found so far on Delos. The other is by an artist named as Asklepiades of Arados (see below).

See:

Katherine M. D. Dunbabin, Mosaics of the Greek and Roman world, page 317. Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Asklepiades of Arados

From Arados, Phoenicia

Late 2nd century AD

The central rosette of a floor mosaic found in the courtyard of the late 2nd-century "House of the Dolphins" on Delos is inscribed with a now incomplete signature in Greek: [. . .]PIAD ES ARADIOS EPOIEI ([. . .]piades of Arados made [it]). The name has been hypothetically restored as Asklepiades, although it is not known whether the artist was an ethnic Greek or a Phoenician who worked in the Greek style and adopted a Greek name.

The small signature is set in a floral garland near the centre of the rosette, which is surrounded by series of decorative borders, and at the corners of the panel are winged Erotes riding leaping dolphins.

Another floor of the house is decorated with the "Sign of Tanit", suggesting that the house's owner may have been Phoenician.

This is one of only two signatures by mosaic artists found so far on Delos. The other is by Antaios (see above).

See:

Katherine M. D. Dunbabin, Mosaics of the Greek and Roman world, pages 33 and 273. Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Dioskourides of Samos

Διοσκουρίδης Σάμιος (Latin, Dioscurides)

Thought to be working in the late 2nd to early 1st century BC.

Two finely-detailed mosaics found in the "Villa of Cicero", Pompeii, are signed "ΔΙΟΣΚΟΥΡΙΔΗΣ ΣΑΜΙΟΣ ΕΠΟΙΗΣΕ" (Dioskourides Samios epoese, Dioskourides of Samos created [this]).

Gnoseis

Γνῶσεις

Worked in Pella, 4th century BC

Hephaistion

Ἡφαιστίων

Worked in Pergamon, 2nd century BC

Hellenistic floor mosaic, mid 2nd century BC, discovered in Palace V, Pergamon, Turkey, signed "ΗΦΑΙΣΤΙΩΝ ΕΠΟΙΕΙ" (Hephaistion epoiei, Hephaistion created it).

Heraklitos

Ἡερακλιτος

Worked in Rome, 2nd century AD

A floor mosaic of an "unswept room", found on the Aventine Hill, Rome and dated to the 2nd century AD, is signed "ΗΕΡΑΚΛΙΤΟΣ ΕΡΓΑΣΑΤΟ" (Heraklitos ergasato). Museo Gregoriano Profano, Vatican Museums, Rome. Inv. No. 10132. See photo below.

Sophilos

Σώφιλος

Working around 200 BC

Two small mosaic panels, made using the opus vermiculatum technique, with almost identical images, were discovered at Thmuis (Tell el-Timai), Nile Delta, Egypt. Each has a figurative emblema (panel) surrounded by a broad frame with geometrical motifs. Each shows the head and shoulders of a woman with very widely open eyes, wearing military garb and a headdress in the form of a ship's prow, and holding a ship's mast like a royal sceptre. She may be a personification of Alexandria, or a Ptolemaic queen, perhaps Arsinoe II (circa 316-270 BC) or Queen Berenike II (circa 270-221 BC).

The first mosaic, sometimes referred to as the "Berenike Mosaic of Thmuis", is almost square (277 x 261 cm). Found by chance in 1918 and dated late 3rd century BC, it is of fine quality and signed ΣΩΦΙΛΟΣ ΕΠΟΙΕΙ (Sophilos epoiei, Sophilos made it) in the top left corner of the image panel. If the dating is correct it may be one of the earliest known opus vermiculatum mosaics. Greco-Roman Museum, Alexandria. Inv. No. 21739.

Sosos

Σῶσος (Latin, Sosus)

Worked in Pergamon, 2nd century BC

Sosos is the only mosaic artist whose name is known from a surviving work by an ancient writer. Pliny the Elder praised his work:

"Pavements are an invention of the Greeks, who also practised the art of painting them, till they were superseded by mosaics. In this last branch of art, the highest excellence has been attained by Sosus, who laid, at Pergamus, the mosaic pavement known as the 'asarotos oecos': from the fact that he there represented, in small squares of different colours, the remnants of a banquet lying upon the pavement, and other things which are usually swept away with the broom, they having all the appearance of being left there by accident.

There is a dove also, greatly admired, in the act of drinking, and throwing the shadow of its head upon the water; while other birds are to be seen sunning and pluming themselves, on the margin of a drinking bowl."

Pliny the Elder, The Natural History, Book 36, chapter 60. At Perseus Digital Library.

The "asarotos oikos" (unswept house; literally, The house that has no sweeping), usually known as "the unswept room", and the drinking dove (Latin, "columba bibens") are thought to have been made for a floor in the palace of Eumenes II (ruled 197-159 BC) on the Pergamon acropolis in the 2nd or early 1st century BC.

Zosimos

Ζώσιμος

Working around 200 AD

Perhaps Zosimos of Samosata

Aphrodite stands in the middle of a mosaic floor, facing forwards, her head turned slightly to the viewer's left. She gazes at a hand mirror she has taken from a gaily decorated box which lies open on a table to the right. Although it appears that the artist has cleverly placed the mirror at an angle to show Aphdrodite's reflection, it is thought that this is the back of the mirror and that the face is that of Medusa. On a parapet above the table stand a pair of doves, symbolizing love and fidelity. Behind the goddess, a curtain attached to a column blows in the breeze. Her naked lower torso and legs were covered by a yellow garment during a reworking of the mosaic in the Christian period.

Visit the My Favourite Planet Group on Facebook.