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Tesserae of Alexander the Great
Provenance
The House of the Faun, Pompeii
Date
120-100 BCE
Medium
Opus Vermiculatum, Tesserae
Current Location
The National Archaeological Museum of Naples
The Alexander Mosaic, also known as the Tessera of Alexander, is a remarkable floor mosaic discovered in Pompeii’s House of the Faun. It depicts Alexander the Great’s victory over Darius III at the Battle of Issus and is renowned for its dynamic composition and emotional intensity. Made of over a million tiny tesserae, the mosaic captures the chaos of battle with vivid realism, showing Alexander charging fearlessly toward the Persian king.
It is believed to be a Roman copy of a lost Greek painting from the late 4th century BCE, likely created to honor Alexander's legendary military prowess. Today, it stands as one of the finest examples of ancient Roman mosaic art and a key visual link to Hellenistic painting traditions.
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Fractional Ownership
Support the preservation of Pompeii while co-owning a piece of history. Through our shared Vault of Verusius model, you can purchase 1/100th ownership of this fresco starting at Ξ (Ethherum or ETH) 0.05 (approx. $180 USD). Your contribution grants you proportional royalties, exclusive access to private content, and helps fund ongoing archaeological conservation efforts.
