Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius

The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius is a larger than life bronze statue of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. You probably originated around the year 165 AD and was originally completely gilded.

Probably Marcus Aurelius was honored with the statue for his victories against the Parthians. The emperor is clothed in a tunic and a heavy military overcoat. The right hand is raised as a sign of his authority and power. Although this looks like a friendly greeting gesture, but it is one, from the top down from the horse.

Such equestrian statues in bronze, there were many cities of the Roman Empire, but was able to apart from the Marcus Aurelius survive no only other times until today. The fact that Marcus Aurelius was preserved, only confusion is due to. This statue was in the Middle Ages as an image of Constantine the Great. Since this was the first Roman emperor, who had tolerated and supported Christianity, no one dared to melt his image - even if the Bronze requirements may still have been so great. So the statue stood since the 8th century even before the Lateran Palace of the Popes.

In the course of the Renaissance movement discovered in 1447, a librarian of the Vatican as a result of intensive studies with comparison finds and descriptions in ancient literature, that it had to act with the Emperor Constantine just not to, but rather Marcus Aurelius. Now protected the renewed interest in all that was antique, the statue. However, since these were clearly pagan, they were allowed to bring in 1538 on the Capitol Square.

Here she stood up to the year 1979, when she was pulled in a bomb attack on the Roman city hall affected. In the course of restoration study, it was found that the equestrian statue suffered heavy bronze corrosion, which had to be stopped as soon as possible. Following a period of consultation, such as the statue was to preserve, followed by a long period of restoration. Since 1990, the original is in a covered statue for the courtyard of the palace conservator of the Capitoline Museums. On the Michelangelo -designed specially for the statue place today is a bronze copy.

How important is this statue for the Romans and the Italians, evidenced by the fact that she adorns one of the euro coins.

In the town of Tulln ( Austria ) is also a cast of the famous equestrian statue of the Roman emperor. The statue is a reminder of the centuries- long presence of the Romans on the Danube frontier.

Gallery

Original in the Palazzo dei Conservatori the Capitoline Museums