CLASSICAL ANTIQUITIES DEPARTMENT

Colossus of the Nile

Restored thanks to the generosity of the Pennsylvania Chapter

The Colossal Satue of the Nile dates back to the I century A.D. and it is a Roman copy based on a Hellenistic original. The Colussus of the Nile was probably found in 1513 (during the Papacy of Pope Leo X) near the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva. The river god, identified by the sphinxes and crocodiles, is represented as a dispenser of blessings. The sixteen putti are tought to be an allusion to the number of cubits the level of the Nile rises when it floods, fertilizing the region through which it flows. The reliefs on the base represent life on the banks of the river.

Apoxyomenos Marble Roman Statue

This marble statue is a Roman copy of from the first Century A.D. of the celebrated bronze original made by Lysippus (320 B.C.). This statue was found in Trastevere in 1849. The figure of an athlete is represented not at the moment of the victory but afterwards, when he has left the palestra and is scraping the dust and sweat from his body with a strigil (the greek word "apoxyein" means "to wipe off"). His faraway glaze reflects his physical exhaustion. Pliny wrote that Lysippus's aim was to represent men not during official events but as they are when not observed by others. This is one of the most important pieces in the Vatican Museunms Collections.

Restored thanks to the generosity of the California Chapter

The Augustus of Prima Porta

The Augustus of Prima Porta, believed to have been commissioned in 15 A.D. by Augustus’ adopted son Tiberius, is a majestic example of Imperial Roman statuary. Although it may be a copy of a bronze original, dated 20 B.C., Tiberius made a significant addition to his marble copy: on the chest plate, he added scenes depicting the Roman victory over the Parthians. These scenes were used by Tiberius as a form of propaganda so that the viewer would recall the important role his father played in securing the Roman empire. He is posed in the traditional controposto manner, with his right leg placed firmly forward while his left leg is bent and the heel slightly-raised. Augustus’ right arm is stretched out in a noble and controlled Roman gesture and is counter-balanced by the slightly-bent left leg. Combined with these idealized features of strength and beauty, there are also personal features of Augustus: a broad cranium, deep-set eyes, sharp ridges in his brow, a well-formed mouth and a small chin. Furthermore, his face depicted in the manner of Apollo was meant to associate Augustus’ abilities with those of the powerful god. Thus, Augustus wanted to portray himself as a perfect leader with flawless features, personifying the power and authority of the emperor who had the capacity to stabilize a society and an empire.

Restored thanks to the generosity of the Florida Chapter

ROMAN NECROPOLIS OF THE VIA TRIONFALE IN VATICAN CITY In 2003 during the construction of a new parking lot within Vatican City brought to light a Roman necropolis with a immense number of archaeological treasures dating from the 1st B.C. - 4th Century A.D to the periods of Augustus and Constantine. Some of these present interesting fresco, stucco and mosaic decoration. The immediate intervention of the Vatican Museum’s archaeological team enabled the discovery of over forty family burial niches as well as a number of individual tombs, all in a well preserved state. Funerary altars, sarcophagi (one of which with Christian iconography) and a large number of inscriptions rich in information on the population buried here. Among these are buried servants, nobles, but also free men, even a cavalier. On some tombs the place or origin and employment of the defunct is specified, offering us an exceptional account of their daily life. Also of great importance are the lanterns used in funerary rituals still in place on top or to the side of the tombs, as well as the hooks for the funerary wreaths over the altars. This project entails the set-up of steel walkways and ramps for public access as well as a lighting system, glass cases, structures to display lapidary objects, didactic panels and a video illustration of the excavations. In addition, a grandiose campaign to restore the sepulchral monuments and lapidary stones is predicted. Thanks to the Patrons from Canada, we will be able to gain a more profound appreciation of our ancestors.

Restored thanks to the generosity of the Canadian Chapter

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