Under the stimulus exerted by Persian glass

imports, the Greek glass industry had a rebirth.

It flourished from about 550 to 50 BCE.

Phidias, the Greek sculptor, used glass inlays in

the great gold and ivory statue of the god Zeus,

one of the Wonders of the World. Designed to

contain perfumes, scented oils and cosmetics,

Greek vessels formed a homogeneous group

sharing the same technique and taking their

shape from the repertory of Greek vases in

pottery and metal. The Hellenistic period saw

the perfection of the techniques needed to

create mosaic glass, sandwich gold glass and

gold-band glass vessels, objects, and tiles. For

the first time, complete dinner services occur.

Gems and intaglios for rings become popular.

Large-scale Roman production began when

Emperor Augustus (27 BCE – 14 CE) decided to

support glassmaking among essential crafts on

the Italian mainland. To that end, Judaean and

Syrian craftsmen were imported as slaves,

bringing with them experience in traditional

Eastern glass-working technologies such as

mold-casting and, the then novel idea, of free-

blowing. It took scarcely a decade for the

glassmaking craft to change its aspect and

display several of the characteristic elements of

an industry as we recognize them today --- mass

production, some standardization of vessel

shapes and sizes, and an efficient distribution

system to the domestic market place. By the

middle of the first century CE, glass was a

successful rival to pottery in the latter's

traditional domains of tableware and storage

containers for all manner of things from

preserved fruit and fish to wine, perfumes and

medicines. The most spectacular Roman

achievement was the production of cameo

glass.