A Brooch for the Bold Roman

Dating to the 4th century CE, this Roman brooch bears the legend

FORTIBVS / FORTVNA FAV 

That would be the old Latin tag Fortuna fortibus favet, or "Fortune favors the bold." This became the motto of the Sforza family, Dukes of Milan in Renaissance Italy; by their time the word was sometimes translated "strong," thus, "Fortune favors the strong." Wonderful to think that some 4th century Roman worthy wore this at his collar. From Timelineauctions.