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HOME :
Classical Antiquities :
Marble Sculptures : Marble head of the emperor Domitian
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Marble head of the emperor Domitian - AM.0236
Origin: Mediterranean
Circa: 1
st
Century AD
Dimensions:
10" (25.4cm) high
x 6.2" (15.7cm) wide
Collection: Imperial Roman Antiquities
Medium: Marble
Additional Information: Presently in Hong-KongArt Logic—Private German Collection, 2007
Location: Great Britain
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| Description |
Domitian was emperor of the Roman Empire
during the years 81 to 96 AD.
He was the younger brother of Titus and
son of
Vespasian, his two predecessors on the
throne,
and the last member of the Flavian
dynasty.
During his 15-year reign, his government
exhibited totalitarian characteristics
which put
him at sharp odds with the senate, whose
powers
he drastically curtailed.
Domitian strengthened the economy by
revaluing
the Roman coinage, expanded the border
defenses of the empire and initiated a
massive
building program to restore the damaged
city of
Rome.
Significant wars were fought in Britain
and in
Dacia.
Religious, military and cultural
propaganda
fostered a cult of personality, and by
nominating
himself perpetual censor, he sought to
control
public and private morals.
Contemporary historians, including
the biographer Suetonius, being mostly
scions of
the senatorial order, have traditionally
regarded Domitian as tyrannical and
unjust, often
comparing Domitian to the notoriously
corrupt Emperor Nero. More recently his
reputation has been undergone a positive
reassessment, stressing his efficiency
and
beneficial economic policies.
As a consequence, Domitian was rather
popular
with the people and the army but was
considered
a tyrant by members of the Roman Senate
and he
ended being thus assassinated by court
officials.
From the time of Augustus onwards, the
imperial
family and its circle monopolised
official public
statuary. Imperial portraits were
displayed in
temples of the imperial cult and along
with
coinage, sculpture was the preferred
means of
disseminating the emperor’s image. A
number of
scholars believes that official
portraits were
initially created in the capital city of
Rome and
then disseminated across the empire to
serve as
prototypes for local workshops. Despite
this
attempt at uniformity, local stylistic
traits could
not be suppressed and there was great
aesthetic
and technical regional variety across
the whole of
the empire.
The sculpture depicts a mature, middle-
aged
ruler with thick-set features and small
snail-shell
like curls
framing his forehead.
The gaze is directed towards the
viewer’s left.
The impression is one of an experienced
statesman with great authority.
This imperial portrait head originates
from one
of the North African provinces of the
Roman
Empire.
- (AM.0236)
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