Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius. The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius is an ancient Roman equestrian statue on the Capitoline Hill, Rome, Italy.
It is made of bronze and stands 4.24 m tall. Although the emperor is mounted, it exhibits many similarities to standing statues of Augustus.
The original is on display in the Capitoline Museums, with the one now standing in the open air of the Piazza del Campidoglio being a replica made in 1981 when the original was taken down for restoration. The overall theme is one of power and divine grandeur, the emperor is over life-size and extends his hand in a gesture of adlocutio used by emperors when addressing their troops.
Some historians assert that a conquered enemy was originally part of the sculpture. Such an image was meant to portray the Emperor as victorious and all-conquering.
However, shown without weapons or armour, Marcus Aurelius seems to be a bringer of peace rather than a military hero, for this is how he saw himself and his reign. He is riding without the use of stirrups, which had not yet been introduced to the West. While the horse has been meticulously studied in order to be recreated for other artists' works, the saddle cloth was copied with the thought that it was part of the standard Roman uniform. The saddle cloth is actually Sarmatian in origin, suggesting that the horse is a Sarmatian horse and that the statue was created to honour the victory
It is made of bronze and stands 4.24 m tall. Although the emperor is mounted, it exhibits many similarities to standing statues of Augustus.
The original is on display in the Capitoline Museums, with the one now standing in the open air of the Piazza del Campidoglio being a replica made in 1981 when the original was taken down for restoration. The overall theme is one of power and divine grandeur, the emperor is over life-size and extends his hand in a gesture of adlocutio used by emperors when addressing their troops.
Some historians assert that a conquered enemy was originally part of the sculpture. Such an image was meant to portray the Emperor as victorious and all-conquering.
However, shown without weapons or armour, Marcus Aurelius seems to be a bringer of peace rather than a military hero, for this is how he saw himself and his reign. He is riding without the use of stirrups, which had not yet been introduced to the West. While the horse has been meticulously studied in order to be recreated for other artists' works, the saddle cloth was copied with the thought that it was part of the standard Roman uniform. The saddle cloth is actually Sarmatian in origin, suggesting that the horse is a Sarmatian horse and that the statue was created to honour the victory
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