Emperors

Roman Empire
Caligula
1st century AD (porphyry head)
17th century Italy (marble body)
Château de Versailles

Roman Empire
Claudius
AD 41
marble
Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum, Braunschweig

Roman Empire
Claudius
(recarved from a likeness of Caligula)
1st century AD
marble
Antikensammlung, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

Cosimo Fancelli
Vitellius
1676
porphyry (head) and alabaster (body)
Hall of the Emperors,
Galleria Borghese, Rome

Tommaso Fedeli
Vespasian
1619
porphyry (head) and alabaster (body)
Hall of the Emperors,
Galleria Borghese, Rome

Ancient Greek Culture under the Roman Empire
Hadrian
AD 130
marble
(excavated in Athens)
National Archaeological Museum, Athens

Roman Empire
Hadrian as World Ruler
AD 130
sardonyx cameo
Antikensammlung, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin

Ancient Greek Culture under the Roman Empire
Hadrian
AD 130-140
marble
(colossal statue fragment excavated in Athens)
National Archaeological Museum, Athens

Roman Empire
Lucius Verus
AD 150-200
marble
Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins

Roman Empire
Marcus Aurelius
AD 160-180
marble
Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins

Anonymous Italian Artist
Marcus Aurelius
ca. 1500
bronze plaquette
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Joseph Claus
Caracalla
1757
marble
(after antique original)
Saint Louis Art Museum

Roman Empire
Caracalla
AD 196-204
marble
Musée d'Art Classique de Mougins

Roman Empire
Gallienus
AD 260
marble
(excavated in North Africa)
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

Roman Empire
Gemma Constantiniana
(Emperor and Family in Triumphal Chariot pulled by Centaurs)
AD 320-30 (sardonyx cameo)
17th century (gold mount)
formerly owned by Peter Paul Rubens
Rijksmuseum van Oudheden, Leiden

Edme Bouchardon
Portrait of Baron Philipp von Stosch
as Roman Emperor
1727
marble
Bode Museum, Berlin

But Figulus more seene in heavenly mysteries,
Whose like Aegiptian Memphis never had
For skill in stars, and tune-full planeting,
In this sort spake. The worlds swift course is lawlesse
And casuall; all the starres at randome radge:
Or if Fate rule them, Rome thy Cittizens

Are neere some plague: what mischiefe shall insue?
Shall townes be swallowed? shall the thickned aire,
Become intemperate? shall the earth be barraine?
Shall water be conjeal'd and turn'd to ice?
O Gods what death prepare ye? with what plague
Mean ye to radge? the death of many men

Meetes in one period. If cold noysome Saturne

Were now exalted, and with blew beames shinde,
Then Gaynimede would renew Deucalions flood,

And in the fleeting sea the earth be drencht.
O Phœbus shouldst thou with thy rayes now sing
The fell Nemean beast, th' earth would be fired,
And heaven tormented with thy chafing heate,
But thy fiers hurt not: Mars, 'tis thou enflam'st

The threatning Scorpion with the burning taile
And fier'st his cleyes. Why art thou thus enrag'd?

Kind Jupiter hath low declin'd himselfe;
Venus is faint; swift Hermes retrograde;
Mars onely rules the heaven: why doe the Planets
Alter their course; and vainly dim their vertue?

– from the First Book of Lucan, translated by Christopher Marlowe (published 1600)