Plate 4: trophies of Roman arms from decorations above the windows on the second floor of the Palazzo Milesi in Rome 1656 - 1658

This print by Giovanni Battista Galestruzzi, shows trophies of Roman arms above windows in Rome’s Palazzo Milesi. The ensemble overflows with symbolic weight. Here we see a mask, shields, and weapons crowned by an eagle, each element speaking volumes about power and legacy. Consider the eagle: a symbol of Roman authority, it reappears through centuries, from imperial standards to modern emblems. It signifies domination but also vigilance and divine favor, echoing its earlier association with Zeus, king of the gods. Note how the mask, perhaps a grotesque representation of a vanquished foe, also suggests themes of transformation and disguise, a kind of cultural ventriloquism through which societies adopt and adapt the symbols of others. The trophies of war have always been about conveying an emotional state, triumph, but also instilling fear and respect. These symbols evolve and resurface, constantly reinterpreted, in an ongoing dialogue across time.