If you visit the museum for the first time, you will be surprised by the pyramid-shaped entrance. Use the time you lose to pass the bomb check and buy a ticket to look at it, because it is a monument of the first order.
I already mentioned the Egyptian department, where you can easily spend a full day. There are portraits of the Egyptian kings and objects from daily life, and what is even better: the full history is dealth with, so you will also find objects from the first millennium BCE. The Greek, Roman, and Coptic age are not ignored either, although you need to go to Greek department for the royal portraits of the Ptolemies.
The Egyptian department is deservedly famous, and attracts many visitors, who are usually exhausted when they are half-way their tour. Usually, they will take the shortest route to the exit, which brings them through the departments of Cypriote, Arab, Palmyrene, and Phoenician art – which are, as a consequence, full of people who are not interested in the objects. That is a pity, because these rooms alone justify a trip to Paris. Still, if you manage to ignore the crowd of tired visitors to the Egyptian department, you will certainly enjoy coffins from Sidon, Byblos, and Carthage, Nabataean inscriptions, and statues from Cyprus. One of my favorites is a relief of one of the divine triad of Palmyra. You will need half a day to study it well.
Next to it is the Oriental department. The most famous object is, of course, the Code of Hammurabi. Don’t concentrate on the diorite monolith only, but also look in the small display in the same room, because there you will see cuneiform tablets with the same text – one of them written more than a millennium later and proving that these laws had become some kind of Mesopotamian classic, and it is probably no coincidence that the division of these Old Babylonian laws returns in the Ten Commandments.
The Roman department is surprisingly small. Yet, there is a lot of fine sculpture, including a nice series of portraits of Roman rulers. Next to it is a comparatively small Etruscan department. A gallery of rather mediocre statues brings you to the room devoted to Roman art that was later restored, which is great fun: usually, you can immediately see which part is ancient and which is an addition. (Here, you will also find Canova’s famous Amor and Psyche.) You need about half a day to see it all, read the explanatory signs, and take your photos.
The Greek department is larger – you again need a full day to study it all. The two most famous pieces are the expressive Nike of Samothrake and the famous Venus of Milo. The latter is more or less the museum’s raison d’être. Napoleon had looted the Italian museums, but after he had found his Waterloo, all those works of art had to be returned. In an age in which it was believed that inspiration by great art created great minds, and that Greek art was the most inspirational, the emptying of the Louvre was believed to be a national disaster, but fortunately, the Venus of Milo was found. Now, France could compete again with the British, who had the Elgin Marbles. That the armless deity was a Hellenistic and not a Classical statue, was ignored – the inscription which proves it, is now conveniently lost.
The crowds are very large, and you may count yourself lucky that I did not bring you to the paintings. This makes a visit to the Louvre a bit difficult, and you must prepare yourself well; fortunately, the museum’s website is excellent. Four days is the minimum for the ancient departments.
Finally, I must mention one little gem that is often ignored and where you can, consequently, quietly look at the objects: the room with metal objects. There is some fine silver work, but you will also see the helmet of a gladiator, a nice statuette of the Tyche of Antioch, the head of Demetrius Poliorcetes, a hoplite’s panoply, a curse tablet from the Crimea, Roman military diplomas, and so on.
But unfortunately, that’s the only part of the museum where you will not meet many other people. In fact, the museum is too big, and I think that it would be wiser to split it into smaller museums.
This museum was visited in 1984, 1989, 2008, 2010, 2020.
 The Albani Alexander
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 Susa, The Awan King List
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 Hadrumetum, Sanctuary of Baal Hammon, Punic stela
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 Susa, Stela of Šutruru
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 Sobekhotep IV
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 Ugarit, Stele of the "smiting god"
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 Egypt, Byzantine textile, Erotes picking grapes
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief, Sphinxes
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 Bawit, Portrait of a lady
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief, Lion
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 Susa, Neo-Elamite decoration (dragon)
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 Arsinoe II
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 Sphinx of king Siamun
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 Statuette of Raherka, inspector of the scribes, and his wife Merseanch
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 Thelsae, Nabataean altar
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 The Tyche of Antioch (figurine)
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 Statues of Sekhmet
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 Sippar, Cylinder with a building inscription from the reign of Hammurabi
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 Byblos, Temple of Baalat, Figurine of a bull
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 Ugarit, Temple of Baal, Stele with the king of Ugarit in front of the god Baal Saphon
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 Cleopatra VII Philopator in Egyptian style
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 Artemis and Apollo killing the Niobids
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 Tombstone of Iglum, son of Sa'adillat
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 Hadrumetum, Sanctuary of Baal Hammon, Punic stela with three baetyls
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 Choga Zanbil, Ziggurat, Doorknobs (Paris)
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 Yemen, Dromedary pendant
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 Horus, Osiris, Isis
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Rhodes, Head-shaped aryballos
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 The Azara herm
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 Charlemagne
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 Antinoopolis, Coptic textile, Nilotic scene (including nilometer)
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 Keki, the courtier
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 Ptolemy IV Philopator or Ptolemy VI Philometor
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 Agrippa
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 Choga Zanbil, Model
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 Babylonian map of the western Zagros. A road, a mountain, and a river are indicated.
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 Susa, Apadana, Inscription DSf (Elamite)
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Domitian
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 Relief of a Roman officer
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 Julia Domna
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 Byblos, Temple of Baalat, Figurines
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 Bowl from Tepe Hesar I
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 Demetrius I Poliorcetes
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 Khorsabad, Relief of Sargon and Sennacherib, king Sargon
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 Bishapur, Palace, Mosaic of a musician
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 Arsinoe III
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 Messalina
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 Kition, Figurine of a woman
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 Assos, Temple of Athena, relief, Triton
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 Susa, Statue of queen Napirasu, wife of Untaš-Napiriša
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 Khorsabad, Relief of Sargon and Sennacherib
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 Madaba, Funeral inscription of Itaybel
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 Nineveh, Palace of Aššurbanipal, Relief of Arbela
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 Mithridates VI Eupator of Pontus
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 Susa, Battle axe
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 Wadi Miyah, Palmyrene triad: Aglibol (Moon), Ba'al Šamem (Lord of Heaven), and Malekbel (Sun)
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 Khorsabad, Lamassu
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 Kition, Egyptianizing capital
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 Rhodes, Mycenaean jar with a bull (LH IIIa2)
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 Girsu, Tablet with a fragment of the Sumerian Creation Epic
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 Soknopaiou Nesos, Stele of Isis, Horus, and Cleopatra VII Philopator
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 Julia Mamaea
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 Boy with hoop and rooster
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 King of the Eleventh/Twelfth Dynasty
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 Susa, Stela of Adda-hamiti-Inšušinak
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 Susa, Gold plate with royal warrior
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 Informal portrait of Sobekhotep IV
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 Cyrene, Statue of Antinous
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 Statuette of a hippopotamus
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 Megara, Figurine of two hoplites
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 Tayma, Dedication to Salm
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 Utica, Oil lamp with a lion and a crocodile
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 Idalion, orientalizing gold dish
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 Heraclius and Khusrau
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 Coptic jar with decoration of a woman with wild animals
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 Smyrna, Diadumenianus
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 Caere, Sarcophagus of the Spouses
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 Aššur, Annals of Tikulti-Ninurta II
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 Nectanebo I, wearing the crown of Upper Egypt
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 Susa, Temple of the Šutrukids, Relief
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 Nineveh, Palace of Aššurbanipal, Sumerian-Akkadian Dictionary
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 Athens, Black-figured dish with a Scythian archer
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 Gladiator helmet
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 Bottle from Tepe Hesar level II
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 Saba, the Arab warrior Mushayqat Hamayat ibn Yusuf on a dromedary
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 Susa, Apadana, Inscription DSf (Babylonian)
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 Enkomi, Late Bronze pectoral with sphinxes
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 Senusret III
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 The Azara herm
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 Lambaesis, Rules for the trumpetters of III Augusta
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 Ptolemy X Alexander
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 Dedication by Ilîmagud Mayfa
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 Timna, Dedication by Rathad'il
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 The Azara herm
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 Nimrud, Relief of an Anatolian fort
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 Yemen, Relief of a bird eating grapes
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 Ptolemy I Soter
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 Agrippa Postumus
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 Aelius Caesar
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 Susa, Silver rhyton
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 Alexandria, Alexander the Great as City Founder
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 Alexander, Statuette from Lower Egypt
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 Alexandria Troas, Psyche on a dromedary
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 Khorsabad, Iron tool
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 Alexander I Balas
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 Crassus
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 Tayma, Aramaic funerary inscription
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 Dibon, Mesha Stela
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 Nimrud, Northwest Palace of Aššurnasirpal II, Foundation Inscription
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 Marib, Dedication to Almaqah, detail
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 Susa, Inscription of Nicocles
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 Susa, Temple of the Šutrukids, Inscription
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 Theodosius II
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 Antiochus III the Great
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief, Flowers
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Susa, Stone relief with a banquet scene
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 Sippar, Victory stela of Naram-Sin
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 Herodes Atticus
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 Justinian I (Barberini Ivory)
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 Tayma, Relief of a sacrifical meal; Assyrian influence
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Pyla, Temple of Apollo, Portrait of a man
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 Statuette of Bes, dedicated by Pakher, chancellor of king Psamtek I
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Gortyn, Inscription with laws
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 An Egyptian poem about the battle of Kadesh
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 Khorsabad, Relief of Sargon and Sennacherib, prince Sennacherib
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 Amulet of Darius
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 Sippar, Contract from the reign of Xerxes about a canal
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 King Djedefra
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 Khorsabad, Relief of two courtiers
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 Baalbek, Mosaic of the Birth of Paris
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 Upper part of the Codex of Hammurabi; taken from Babylon to Susa, it was excavated in what is now Iran.
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 Taharqo venerating the falcon-god Hemen
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 Rhodes, Mycenaean cup (LH IIIa2)
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 The Azara herm
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 Amasis
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 Susa, Funerary portrait
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 Susa, Hellenistic or Parthian figurine of a harpist
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 Tyre, Hellenistic building inscription from Al-Ma'shook
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 Antonia Minor
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 Cartouche of Osorkon I
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 Smyrna, Attalus II Philadelphus
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 Nefertiti and Akhenaten
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 Fausta
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 Rome, S. Pietro, Sarcophagus with Christ as Lawgiver
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 Delos, Portrait of Alexander the Great
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 Athens, Heliaia, Allotment plate
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 POWs being led away on an Akkadian victory stele
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 Utica, Oil lamp with a lion and a panther
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 Cherchell, Inscription of Micipsa
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 Rhodes, Dish with a sphinx
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 Susa, Apadana, Capital
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 Tepe Sialk, Pot from the fourth millennium BCE, decorated with an ibex
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 Chalouf, Darius' DZb inscription
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief with inscription
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 Drawing of Ramesses VII
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 Alexandria, Tombstone of Longinus of II Traiana
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief with inscription DSm
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 Nectanebo I wearing the war crown
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 Palmyra, Tombstone of a priest
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 Faustina II
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 Coptic tunic
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 Nicomedia, Hellenistic Funerary relief
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 Aegis of Osorkon IV
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 Tayma, Nabataean votive stela
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 Valerian Jr
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 Olympia, Temple of Zeus, Model
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 Yemen, Woman's head
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 Figurine from Bactria
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 Suovetaurilia
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 Old Paphos, Epitaph of King Echetimus
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 The Azara herm
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 Susa, Sasanian cup
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 Tayma, Taymanite inscription
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 Beirut, Tombstone of Valerius Rufus of VII Claudia
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 Susa, Stone fish
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 Alexander IV
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 Sardes, Temple of Artemis, Relief of the "Mistress of the animals". (The archer partly visible to the right must be Heracles.)
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 Lascuta, Imperator inscription
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 Pompey the Great. Louvre, Paris (France)
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 Psammetichus I
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 Berenice II
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 Cirta, Sanctuary of El-Hofra, Votive stela
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 Geta
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 Sarcophagus with the body of Hector
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 Osorkon I
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 Bishapur, Palace, Mosaic of man dressed as an ostrich
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 Susa, Letter from Artabanus II, requesting the appointment of one Hecataeus as treasurer
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 Susa, Middle-Elamite basrelief of warrior gods
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 Drawing of Amenhotep I
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 Merenptah
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 Lagash, Vulture Stele, Sumerian phalanx
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 Eretria, Two-headed phial
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 Portrait of a man, third quarter of the first century CE (the so-called "Vitellius")
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 Khorsabad, Lion-taming spirit ("Gilgameš")
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 Pharsalus, Funerary stela with a relief of a flower offering
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 Rhagae, Dancers on a piece of pottery
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 Smyrna, Honorific decree for an officer of VI Ferrata
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 Ajax and Cassandra.
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 Leo I
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 Pupienus
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 Fragment of the sarcophagus of Sety II
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 Antioch, Judgment of Paris
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 Saqqara, Serapeum, Relief of Isis and Nectanebo II
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 Livia (Paris)
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 Susa, Treaty between Naram-Sin and Elam
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 Ostracon with a Coptic Writing Exercise (Thebaid)
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 Ptolemy XII Auletes
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 Apollonia, Relief of two hoplites
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 Assos, Temple of Athena, Relief of a symposium
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 Susa, Rim of a cup with the name of Xerxes
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Ladjvard, Sasanian king, perhaps Peroz
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 Annius Verus
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 Tepe Sialk, Sherd from the fourth millennium BCE
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 Senusret III
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 Fayyum, Coptic chalice
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 Socrates
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 Hermopolis, Portrait of a Cleopatra I, Cleopatra II, or Berenice III
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 Persian nobleman; statue from Egypt
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 Susa, Temple of the Šutrukids, Relief
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 Montuhotep II wearing the red deshret crown
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 Achaemenid jar with representation of Bes
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 Matidia
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 Corinth, Small painting of Poseidon
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief, Immortal, Counterweight of a spear
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 Idalion, statue of Melqart
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 Oea, Punic sphinx
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 Edessa, Mosaic of a lady
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 Ptolemy II Philadelphus
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 Beirut, Christian phylacterium, invoking the protection of several celestial beings to protect one Alexandra
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 Mask of a Sumerian
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 Didia Clara
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 Byzantine, Dromedary-shaped lamp
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 Head of Croesus on a Greek vase
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 Statuette of a Libyan
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 Susa, Middle-Elamite model of a sun ritual
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 Bishapur, Palace, Stucco apse
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 Bishapur, Palace, Mosaic of a Dionysiac head
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 Sallustia Orbiana
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 Assos, Temple of Athena, Relief of two bulls
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 Ptolemy IV Philopator
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 Apries
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief, Mythological creatures
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 Khorsabad, Relief of rafts on a great river
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 Caere, Banditaccia necropolis, Wall painting of an archer
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 Ramesses IV
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 Susa, Achaemenid administrative document
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 Bawit, Icon of Christ and St.Menas
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 Eshnunna, Relief of Ištar
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 Antinoopolis, Coptic textile, Praying man with candelaber and ankh
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 Moabite warrior god
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 Byblos, Relief of a lion
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 Shabaqo
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 Sobekhotep IV
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 Susa, Apadana, Inscription DSf (Old Persian)
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 Susa, Dedication to Inšušinak
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 Thyatira, Relief of a gladiator (thraex)
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 Khorsabad, Foundation Tablet
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 Bosra, Nabataean altar
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 Marib, Dedication to Almaqah
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 Furnos Minus, Christian funerary mosaic
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Ptolemy XI Alexander, gold sealing ring
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 Bawit, Coptic church, Model
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 Vase painting of an archaic Greek galley
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 Uruk, Cuneiform tablet with first use of a zero
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 Cyprus, Bilingual Greek-Phoenician inscription
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 Utica, Funeral stela
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 Susa, Temple of the Šutrukids, Goddess
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief, Lion
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 Susa, Temple of the Šutrukids, Relief: the bull-man
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 Achmim, Funerary stela of Pamim
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 Corinth, Hoplite battle (Tydeus painter)
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 Antiochus VI Dionysus
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 Seleucus I Nicator
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 Susa, Soldiers' Relief
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 Demetrius Poliorcetes
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 Cleopatra II or III as Isis
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 Pittacus
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 Salonina
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 Ugarit, Alphabet tablet
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 Giza, Diner of Nefer
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 Susa, Relief with the sacrifice of goat
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 Figurine of an Etruscan warrior
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 Ptolemy III Euergetes
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 Ur, Foundation statuette of Amar-Sin
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 Portrait of a Roman man (CE 070-100)
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 Apollonia, Relief to commemorate the battle of Actium
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 Greek plate with a picture of the Chimaera. Louvre, Paris (France)
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 Relief of a scribe
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 Esarhaddon and his mother attend the restoration of Babylon
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 Susa, Weight from Didyma
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 Titus
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 Corbulo
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 Mithridates V Euergetes
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