Severan Tondo

The Septimius Severus Tondo from around 200 AD, is one of the few surviving panel paintings of antiquity. It is a tempera painting on a circular wooden panel ( tondo ) with a diameter of 30.5 cm, which is now in the Berlin Collection of Classical Antiquities ( Inv. No. 31329 ) is located.

The table shows the emperor Septimius Severus and his family: his left his wife Julia Domna, Geta and Caracalla before his sons. All they wear ceremonial vestments and both Septimus Severus and his sons each holding a scepter in his hand and jeweled gold wreaths on the head. The face of Geta was probably immediately after the assassination by his brother, removed from the image ( Damnatio memoriae ).

It is the image is one of those Kaiserbildnisse, which were made by the ancient Romans in large numbers, to be hung in the offices. When the government changed, they were usually removed and replaced with new ones. It is very probable that the old images then were no more attention and were thrown away. Since it also is a very perishable material in wood, the Berlin Tondo is still the only known work of this kind Kaiser effigy for government offices, which has been preserved.

Recent studies make likely that the picture was originally rectangular or square. This can be seen clearly on the rods that are cut off at the top, but once wore imperial symbols. The round shape is probably modern and was cut by dealers for the art market.