Tetrarchs

Diocletian, Maximian, Constantius Chlorus and Galerius.

After years of unrest, the four rulers were jointly in power of the Roman Empire from 282 CE; but rivalries led to the collapse of the Tetrarchy by 313. Their poses and similarity to each other is a display of political unity, just as the Empire was splitting into two halves, eastern and western.

Originally made for the Imperial Palace in Constantinople (Istanbul), the Tetrarchs were plundered by the Venetians in the thirteenth century and have remained ever since in St Mark’s Square.

This cast emulates porphyry, the expensive and unusual Egyptian stone used only for sculptures of emperors

Number

638

Material

Porphyry

Location of Original

In situ, St Mark's Basilica Venice

Size

1.61m

Accession

Robert Cook bequest. Purchased from Munich Institute for Classical Archaeology, 23 May 2003

References

Kleiner: Roman Sculpture, 399

Date

c.300

Provenance

Originally in Constantinople

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