AI – ‘Based on the fact that a depiction in antiquity was exclusively textual and lacked a visual counterpart, several conclusions can be drawn regarding the cultural, technological, and communicative context of that era.

1. The Primacy of Text over Sight (Ekphrasis) 

• Reliance on Imagination: A textual-only description implies the creator relied on the audience’s mental imagery rather than visual representation, reflecting a culture that valued detailed, verbal “painting with words” (ekphrasis).
• Symbolic Over Realist: In many ancient contexts, there was a stronger preference for abstract or symbolic representation rather than veristic (realistic) accuracy. A textual description may have been deemed more effective for conveying complex, symbolic, or religious meanings than a 2D image, which might be interpreted too literally. 

2. Contextual Limitations and Priorities

• Subject Matter Considerations: The subject may have been deemed “unsayable” or too complex to be fully captured by available artistic techniques.
• Cultural Constraints: The lack of visual imagery might stem from cultural restrictions or traditions, such as aniconism (the avoidance of images of divine beings), which were sometimes used to define cultural identity against other groups, as seen in Herodotus’s account of the Persians.
• Focus on Utility: The text likely served a functional purpose—describing an action or a, list of characteristics—rather than a decorative one. 

3. The Nature of Ancient Evidence

• The “Written World” Context: The Roman world and other ancient societies were deeply literate, with text often being the primary mode of transmitting detailed information. The absence of a visual counterpart does not indicate a lower status of the object, but rather a preference for textual documentation.
• Materiality and Access: A text-only description might suggest the object being described was transitory, lost, or inaccessible to the general public, making a written record the only way to “preserve” it. 

4. Interpretation Challenges for Historians

• The “Paper Trail” Bias: Such descriptions reflect a specific perspective—often that of an elite observer or author—which may be biased or incomplete compared to what a visual record might have provided.
• Tacit Knowledge Dependency: These descriptions often indicate that full understanding required “personal experience” or “direct encounter” with the object, as the text was merely intended as a signpost to evoke, rather than fully replicate, the visual experience.’