The determined look on the face of this enemy of the Roman Empire is in stark contrast to the elegance of the portraits of the emperor and his court. The thick wild hair and light beard indicate that this is probably a member of a Germanic tribe.
It was claimed, with little foundation, that the portrait is of Arminius, the leader of a group of German tribes who won a notable victory over the Romans in 9 CE
Number:
533
Material:
Marble
Location of Original:
Rome, Capitoline Museum 59
Size:
0.56m
References:
Hekler: Greek and Roman Portraits, 280b
Stuart-Jones: Catalogue of the Capitoline Museum (1912), 243, no.59
Date:
c.150 CE
Provenance:
Found near Naples
