Terracotta oil lamp from the 1st century CE, depicting Odysseus tied to the mast of his ship. Found in Mérida, Spain, and now housed in the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano.
At first glance, it’s just a small terracotta oil lamp, tucked away in a museum in Mérida, Spain. But look closer, and you’ll find an epic scene from Homer’s Odyssey—carved into clay, for everyday use.
The image shows Odysseus tied to the mast of his ship. He wears a short tunic and a pileus, the soft cap that marks him in ancient art. Around him, the heads of his crew peek over the side of the ship. The sail is raised, but it’s the rowers who power the boat—just like in Homer’s tale, where Odysseus orders the sail taken down so he can listen safely to the Sirens’ deadly song.
Strangely, the Sirens themselves are missing.
Most likely, this was a practical decision: the lamp’s small surface left no room for them. But it also shifts the focus. What matters here is not the danger, but the restraint. By the 1st century CE, this story had become a moral symbol: the hero as the rational man, resisting temptation, bound by reason.
In Roman homes, lamps like this lit the night. Their warm glow told stories, not just to entertain, but to teach. And so Odysseus—on a simple lamp—reminded his owner of the strength it takes to resist what calls to us most sweetly.
