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This is a replica of a statue of the emperor Augustus, who is known as the Augustus of Prima Porta. The statue is recognized as Augustus because his face was reproduced across the empire like a brand, remaining ageless and youthful regardless of his actual age. In addition to the facial resemblance, his hairstyle remained consistent, with locks of hair arranged across his high forehead.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.Text 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"660aa472-5b58-4063-a89b-dea492e3e305"}],"header":"Augustus"},{"position":{"x":89.2,"y":53.578032544378694},"alwaysFullscreen":true,"content":[{"params":{"text":"

The most surprising aspect of this statue for many students may be that it is painted in colour. For hundreds of years, art connoisseurs have treasured stark, white marble statues from ancient Greece and Rome in museums. Because we are used to seeing them this way and because we have inherited an aesthetic that primarily values the form of sculpture, seeing them in colour may be jarring. Marble sculpture from ancient Greece and Rome was nearly always painted to make it look more lifelike, a feature known as polychromy, but time and the elements have removed most of these colours. New techniques using ultraviolet light and magnification have identified the pigments and colour patterns of some ancient sculptures, allowing them to be seen in exhibits<\/a> as they may once have looked.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.Text 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"0e633603-ce4b-4254-b630-6d5d5559846d"}],"header":"Colour"},{"position":{"x":3.5999999999999996,"y":3.5456730769230766},"alwaysFullscreen":true,"content":[{"params":{"text":"

In this statue, Augustus holds up his right arm with his index finger extended. Rather than pointing, however, this gesture indicates that he was speaking in public. During our discussion about education in Lesson 7, we saw that declamation (public speaking) was a subject taught by a rhetor, and that aspiring Roman leaders would learn not only what to say but also the appropriate gestures and body language to persuade a crowd. This gesture is known as the adlocutio and is often seen in depictions of emperors addressing their troops. In essence, it means \u201cListen up, I\u2019m talking!\u201d<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.Text 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"895a319b-0f99-49ba-9d47-cb714dc15228"}],"header":"Adlocutio gesture"},{"position":{"x":45.2,"y":33.98668639053255},"alwaysFullscreen":true,"content":[{"params":{"text":"

Augustus wears an ornate breastplate or cuirass. It has relief depictions of gods around its circumference, all facing in towards the centre, where the focal scene shows a Parthian handing a legionary standard over to a Roman. The Parthian empire, centred on modern-day Iran, was ancient Rome\u2019s greatest rival at this time. During the first century BCE, the Parthians had defeated Roman armies on more than one occasion and had captured some of their eagle-topped standards. In 20 BCE, Augustus negotiated the return of the standards lost by the triumvir Marcus Licinius Crassus at the Battle of Carrhae<\/a> in modern Turkey in 53 BCE. A propaganda coup, Augustus\u2019s breastplate depicts this event as a restoration of Roman pride.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.Text 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"4822a103-98f9-4b52-a632-127cf9762f27"}],"header":"Breastplate"},{"position":{"x":94.8,"y":5.847818047337278},"alwaysFullscreen":true,"content":[{"params":{"text":"

In his left hand, Augustus is carrying a long rod called a consular baton; while relatively rare, this object is known from statues of emperors and other men <\/a> of consular rank. The Augustus of Prima Porta is believed to be based partly on a Greek statue known as the Doryphoros or \u201cspear bearer.\u201d The original Doryphoros was fashioned in bronze by the Greek sculptor Polykleitos in the 5th century BCE and is now lost, but is known primarily from Roman marble copies like the one in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli<\/a> in Naples. While the Doryphoros was depicted in the heroic nude, in which nudity is used to elevate the subject above the mortal realm, Augustus is shown dressed as a general. Moreover, the spear that the Doryphoros originally held is replaced with the consular baton to emphasize the legal authority of Augustus\u2019s power. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.Text 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"cc519dd1-f4e0-4c09-a129-9ccf83b71a0a"}],"header":"Consular baton"},{"position":{"x":47.599999999999994,"y":91.91013313609467},"alwaysFullscreen":true,"content":[{"params":{"text":"

While Augustus is not shown in the heroic nude, there are other clues that suggest his divinity. His feet are bare, a feature normally associated with the gods. Moreover, he is accompanied by a small figure of Cupid riding on a dolphin. This is a reference to the descent that the Julian family claimed from the goddess Venus through the Trojan hero Aeneas. Cupid was the son of Venus and he rides a dolphin because his mother was born from the sea and dolphins were therefore one of her symbols. Incidentally, this composition also serves a more utilitarian function. While statues like the original Doryphoros made of hollow bronze could support their own weight, statues made of marble could not and would break at the ankles. As a result, marble figures almost invariably have some kind of support on one of their legs to take this weight, like the tree trunk on the Doryphoros copy in Naples<\/a> (notice also the strut supporting his wrist) or the Cupid riding on a dolphin supporting this statue of Augustus.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.Text 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"5d6ef57f-e8b4-4784-b5d3-7deaf591bd93"}],"header":"Cupid on a dolphin and bare feet"}],"hotspotNumberLabel":"Hotspot #num","closeButtonLabel":"Close","image":{"path":"images\/image-6141f55ee0561.png","mime":"image\/png","copyright":{"license":"U"},"width":1038,"height":1384},"backgroundImageAltText":"A statue of a man wearing a decorated military cuirass. He holds out his right hand pointing and holds a long baton in his left hand. By his right foot is a small figure of Cupid riding a dolphin. The clothing is painted red and blue, while the man\u2019s hair"}

Painted replica of the Augustus of Prima Porta

Brief Introduction