This Roman marble sarcophagus (coffin) was created around 200 CE for a wealthy husband and wife, who are depicted reclining on the lid as if they were on a couch. Burial in sarcophagi (plural) was a common Roman funeral practice from about 150 to 250 CE. Since these coffins were meant to be seen and often included images of the deceased, they also functioned as memorials. The couple’s faces are unfinished, perhaps because the sarcophagus was pre-made and had not yet been purchased. Once sold, the buyer would have requested the addition of specific facial features to represent the deceased.
The decoration on the body of the coffin is carved in high relief, and many figures are almost fully three-dimensional. The four sides of the sarcophagus are decorated with mythological scenes from the life of Achilles, the Greek warrior made famous in the tales of the Trojan War recorded in Homer’s Iliad. The adventures of an ancient war hero don’t seem to relate to the lives of a rich Roman married couple, but some tales of gods and heroes were viewed as symbols of overcoming difficulties, even death. They could also show off a person’s knowledge of famous authors. These stone coffins were produced to order or pre-made and decorated with popular mythological scenes.