Atia Earrings

These delicate earrings are simple but fabulous, and are based on several Roman examples dating to the first century AD. Here, a beautiful round cabochon stone is set into a sleek bezel setting, and is the star of the show. While many of the ancient examples were made with a colored glass paste instead of a stone, our earrings are available with the following stones: Purple Amethyst, Red Carnelian, Blue Lapis Lazuli, and Aqua Chalcedony. Please indicate your stone choice in the Special Instructions area of this page.

"Atia" was none other than the mother of the first emperor of Rome, Augustus! The niece of Julius Caesar, Atia was thus an indelible part of the early empire, for she was related to all of the emperors who succeeded Augustus throughout the period of the Julio-Claudians.

Atia was admired for her beauty, dignity, and morality. She was also considered one of the most honorable matrons and revered mothers in the history of Rome. Of her, the historian Tacitus says, "Thus it was, as tradition says, that the mothers of the Gracchi, of Cæsar, of Augustus, Cornelia, Aurelia, Atia, directed their children's education and reared the greatest of sons. The strictness of the discipline tended to form in each case a pure and virtuous nature which no vices could warp, and which would at once with the whole heart seize on every noble lesson." - A Dialogue on Oratory, 28

Earring Details

Overall height: 1.4 cm (.55 in)

Stone diameter: 1 cm (.4 in)

Available Precious Metals and Prices

925 Sterling Silver: $160

18 Karat Gold Over Sterling Silver: $280

14 Karat Gold: $510

18 Karat Gold: $680