Pisan sigillata: Augustan Ideology with a few Images

In Italy, after Arezzo, Pisa was the main production centre of terra sigillata. Although the city undoubtedly espoused Augustan policies and its potters were deeply ingrained with the Imperial ideology, the decorated vessels were produced only in small numbers (about 3 %), and the Augustan subjects, were even more scarce, despite being familiar to the Pisan artisans (for example the cycle of Heracles and Omphale, the She-Wolf and the Twins). In our opinion the Pisan workshops did not need to display the motifs of Augustan propaganda on their vases because of the city’s proven loyalty to Octavianus: and its elites had been Rome’s faithful allies for a long time, most probably thanks to the role played by Maecenas. Hence, Cn. Ateius and the other Pisan potters could give their full attention to the economic aspects of the sigillata productions, without being concerned about Augustan propaganda. Therefore, they specialized in plain vessels most probably because they could be easily piled together and were much more convenient for transport and trade than decorated chalices and large cups. Their market strategy, combining mass production and distribution, proved to be successful throughout the Roman Empire and beyond