Isn’t it astonishing? Consider the most famous empire in history. The Roman dominion- the nation that poured forth such a torrent of military force that Hannibal was stopped cold, and kings from India and Scandinavia kneeled in homage. The empire that constructed aqueducts that channeled cold, and clear water to every corner of the European continent. It has crumbled into nothing. Its people and language become the topic of esoteric and curious study. But this piece of glass .Forged by the Roman hands, this piece of glass lay dormant within the earth for two millennia, only to emerge beautiful, gentle, and completely intact. It is so slender, so completely delicate- and yet it has remained where the trumpet-call and spear-clash of the legionnaire have so totally disappeared. Some beautiful and wealthy maiden commissioned this gorgeous little sliver to hold her perfume, but in the pursuit of her mortal vanity- she has given us an eternal gift. For now, we may pause and imagine her olive colored fingers languorously dipping into this flask, rubbing the drops of scent across her neck. We ourselves may place our fingers on top of where hers have been, and truly appreciate the beauty not only of this little bit of glass, but of the world that contained it. For those of us inspired and enthralled by Roman majesty, there can be nothing as awe-inspiring, nor as intimate- as grasping a bit of their opulence, running our fingers over a bit of their graceful art.