253:
36:
323:
trappings of
Hercules, the real hero (lion hide and club, etc.), and the "effeminate" and self-obsessed emperor shown in stone here is too grotesque to be taken only as an idolizing portrait, and the hidden intention becomes ironic. "The sculptor must have felt very sure of his ground, protected by the blind vanity of his sitter".
322:
suggested that although the bust would have been made for
Commodus or someone close to him at the court, and the mythological topic decided by the patron, the artist was deliberately subverting the flattering subject and casting the flamboyant emperor in an ironic light: the contrast between the
272:, who regarded the sign as his; and finally Scorpio is the emperor himself, as the third "founder" of the city. This popular theory also can be seen as Commodus once more emphasizing his association with Hercules, as Scorpio falls in the month of October, which he had renamed after Hercules.
247:
In this way, the signs are interpreted as an indication of the month of
October. October figured prominently at various stages of Commodus' life, and indeed was renamed after Hercules by the Emperor. This calendric interpretation can therefore be seen to emphasize the Herculean aspect of the
311:
There is speculation about the
Emperor's intent in creating depictions of himself as a godlike figure. Some sources say it was Commodus's desire to be not merely the protégé of Hercules, but a
209:
in his left hand. Each of these objects has been placed as a reminder of the hero's accomplishments, as well as allowing the
Emperor to associate and refer to himself as the Roman Hercules.
315:, the incarnation, the epiphany of Hercules. Others claim instead that he simply desired to be the center of attention and show his intense appreciation for games and spectacles.
613:
598:
260:
Other sources argue that the three signs instead are linked to the foundations of the city of Rome. In this case, Taurus refers the founding of Rome under
295:, the father of Hercules and tutelary god of Commodus. Believed to be for the purpose of celebration, this idea is furthered by the inclusion of two
603:
201:
Here, the Roman
Emperor has taken on the guise of the mythological hero, Hercules. He has been given the attributes of the hero: the skin of the
563:
228:. The meaning behind these symbols has been somewhat debated since the discovery of the sculpture, with interpretations ranging from purely
252:
578:
593:
256:
Base of the bust, which includes the globe and zodiacal symbols. The now single Amazon figure, cornucopia, and pelta can also be seen.
243:, who suggested that these signs could represent the month of October, which the emperor had renamed after Hercules during his rule:
588:
100:
303:. Traces of gold on the two Triton figures suggest that the bust of Commodus was as well at least partially gilded.
341:
Katalog der römischen Porträts in den
Capitolinischen Museen und den anderen kommunalen Sammlungen der Stadt Rom 1
608:
239:
Evidence pointing towards the latter of these two ideas has been presented by
Professor Robert Hannah of
312:
240:
221:
205:
placed over his head and his left arm, the club in his right hand, and the three golden apples of the
35:
225:
296:
217:
148:
568:
261:
583:
319:
178:
193:), eventually having a bust depicting him as the hero created near the end of his reign.
182:
557:
292:
174:
160:
573:
164:
425:
202:
500:
Hannah, Robert. "The
Emperor's Stars: The Conservatori Portrait of Commodus".
300:
288:
280:
206:
531:
Rostovtseff, Michael, and Harold
Mattingly. "Commodus-Hercules in Britain."
229:
144:
275:
Further decoration can be found surrounding the globe, from the kneeling
269:
233:
190:
186:
170:
141:
284:
276:
265:
213:
138:
251:
156:
400:
Hekster, O. J. "Commodus: Rome's third maddest emperor." (2000).
152:
181:. During his sole reign, he came to associate himself with the
159:. Originally discovered in 1874 in the underground chambers of
212:
At the base of the sculpture, carved into the globe are the
348:
The Emperor's Stars: The Conservatori Portrait of Commodus
412:
Speidel, M. P.. "Commodus the God-emperor and the Army".
473:
Hekster, Olivier. "The Roman Empire after His Death."
459:
The Emperor Commodus: Gladiator, Hercules or a Tyrant?
334:
The Emperor Commodus: Gladiator, Hercules or a Tyrant?
147:
created sometime in early 192 AD. It is housed in the
177:
from 180 to 192 and the son of the previous emperor,
361:, Chapter 14, The Roman Empire after his Death, 2012
279:to either side (one of whom has been lost), to the
163:, it has become one of the most famous examples of
118:
110:
98:
90:
82:
74:
66:
58:
50:
42:
21:
287:. The pelta is decorated with eagles' heads and a
264:, which took place traditionally on feast of the
189:(whose myths were adopted in Rome under the name
8:
173:(31 August 161 AD – 31 December 192 AD) was
268:, the 21st of April; Capricorn represents
34:
18:
469:
467:
408:
406:
496:
494:
492:
354:, Vol. 90, No. 3, Jul. 1986, p. 337-342.
453:
451:
449:
447:
393:
299:, which are believed to represent his
614:Roman sculpture portraits of emperors
377:Commodus the God-emperor and the Army
7:
599:Sculptures in the Capitoline Museums
544:Wheeler, Mortimer (1964 repr 1985),
428:. "Displaying myth for Roman eyes."
318:Archaeologist and museum director
14:
135:The Bust of Commodus as Hercules
604:Cultural depictions of Commodus
502:American Journal of Archaeology
352:American Journal of Archaeology
522:van den Hoff 2005, p. 123-124.
513:van den Hoff 2005, p. 119-121.
475:A Companion to Marcus Aurelius
430:A Companion to Greek Mythology
370:Meisterwerke der antiken Kunst
359:A Companion to Marcus Aurelius
1:
339:Klaus Fittschen/Paul Zanker,
564:2nd-century Roman sculptures
414:The Journal of Roman Studies
381:The Journal of Roman Studies
78:133 cm (52 in)
28:Bust of Commodus as Hercules
368:, in: Luca Giuliani (ed.),
630:
594:Marble sculptures in Italy
546:Roman Art and Architecture
486:von den Hoff 2005, p. 119.
441:von den Hoff 2005, p. 117.
241:The University of Waikato
33:
26:
16:Marble portrait sculpture
533:Journal of Roman Studies
94:Capitoline Museums, Rome
579:Nerva–Antonine dynasty
535:13.1-2 (1923): 91-109.
291:as symbols of the god
257:
250:
106:41.8931° N, 12.4825° E
504:90.3 (1986): 337–342.
366:Commodus als Hercules
255:
245:
167:portraiture to date.
589:2nd century in Italy
130:Commodus as Hercules
416:83 (1993): 109–114.
372:, 2005, p. 114-135.
364:Ralf von den Hoff,
343:, 1983, pp. 85–90.
258:
149:Capitoline Museums
114:Capitoline Museums
357:Olivier Hekster,
283:entangled with a
126:
125:
621:
548:
542:
536:
529:
523:
520:
514:
511:
505:
498:
487:
484:
478:
471:
462:
457:Adams, Geoff W.
455:
442:
439:
433:
423:
417:
410:
401:
398:
332:Geoff W. Adams,
320:Mortimer Wheeler
133:, also known as
103:
38:
22:Bust of Commodus
19:
629:
628:
624:
623:
622:
620:
619:
618:
554:
553:
552:
551:
543:
539:
530:
526:
521:
517:
512:
508:
499:
490:
485:
481:
477:96 (2012): 234.
472:
465:
456:
445:
440:
436:
424:
420:
411:
404:
399:
395:
390:
383:, Vol. 83, 1993
375:M. P. Speidel,
346:Robert Hannah,
329:
327:Further reading
309:
199:
179:Marcus Aurelius
99:
17:
12:
11:
5:
627:
625:
617:
616:
611:
609:Busts in Italy
606:
601:
596:
591:
586:
581:
576:
571:
566:
556:
555:
550:
549:
537:
524:
515:
506:
488:
479:
463:
443:
434:
418:
402:
392:
391:
389:
386:
385:
384:
373:
362:
355:
344:
337:
328:
325:
308:
305:
198:
195:
124:
123:
120:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
104:
96:
95:
92:
88:
87:
86:Well-preserved
84:
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
31:
30:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
626:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
585:
582:
580:
577:
575:
572:
570:
567:
565:
562:
561:
559:
547:
541:
538:
534:
528:
525:
519:
516:
510:
507:
503:
497:
495:
493:
489:
483:
480:
476:
470:
468:
464:
460:
454:
452:
450:
448:
444:
438:
435:
431:
427:
422:
419:
415:
409:
407:
403:
397:
394:
387:
382:
378:
374:
371:
367:
363:
360:
356:
353:
349:
345:
342:
338:
335:
331:
330:
326:
324:
321:
316:
314:
306:
304:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
273:
271:
267:
263:
254:
249:
244:
242:
237:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
215:
210:
208:
204:
196:
194:
192:
188:
184:
180:
176:
175:Roman emperor
172:
168:
166:
162:
161:Horti Lamiani
158:
154:
150:
146:
143:
140:
136:
132:
131:
121:
117:
113:
109:
105:
102:
97:
93:
89:
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
32:
29:
25:
20:
545:
540:
532:
527:
518:
509:
501:
482:
474:
458:
437:
432:(2011): 265.
429:
426:Newby, Zahra
421:
413:
396:
380:
376:
369:
365:
358:
351:
347:
340:
333:
317:
310:
274:
259:
246:
238:
230:astrological
211:
200:
169:
134:
129:
128:
127:
27:
203:Nemean lion
101:Coordinates
558:Categories
388:References
301:apotheosis
289:Gorgoneion
281:cornucopia
207:Hesperides
75:Dimensions
248:portrait.
234:calendric
222:Capricorn
216:signs of
197:Symbolism
145:sculpture
119:Accession
83:Condition
54:Sculpture
569:Heracles
270:Augustus
214:zodiacal
191:Hercules
187:Herakles
171:Commodus
142:portrait
91:Location
70:Commodus
584:Aurelii
461:, 2013.
297:Tritons
293:Jupiter
277:Amazons
266:Parilia
262:Romulus
226:Scorpio
137:, is a
67:Subject
336:, 2013
307:Intent
224:, and
218:Taurus
185:hero,
139:marble
122:MC1120
62:Marble
59:Medium
46:192 AD
285:pelta
183:Greek
165:Roman
157:Italy
111:Owner
153:Rome
51:Type
43:Year
574:192
313:god
232:to
151:in
560::
491:^
466:^
446:^
405:^
379:,
350:,
236:.
220:,
155:,
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
