c. 323-31 BC. Greek Hellenistic period. A bronze ring with a round loop and flattened elliptical bevel bearing an incised figure of Hercules in the nude, holding his characteristic club in his left hand. Hercules was a Roman hero and demigod, the Roman equivalent of the Greek Herakles. He was famed for his strength and his many adventures, which he undertook while armed with his trusty club. In Graeco-Roman religion, Hercules’ club became a symbol of his power and the protection he could afford to his followers and was particularly popular among soldiers. The Hellenistic period, which runs from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the battle of Actium is 31 BC, was an era in which Greek-speaking peoples controlled much of the Eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia as far as present-day Afghanistan. This period saw many momentous scientific discoveries and artistic developments, including the creation of intricate jewellery, as this gorgeous ring exemplifies. Good condition; beautiful patina.Size: D: 20.2mm / US: 10 1/2 / UK: U 1/2; 5.3g; Provenance: Property of a London gentleman, formerly with the Parthenon gallery, previously in an old English collection formed before 2000.