Trajan
Trajan wears the civic crown of oak leaves, which is embellished over the middle of the forehead with a separately attached medallion (missing). Long bands fall from the crown to the shoulders. The sword belt indicated on the bust is no mere imperial attribute for Trajan: he rose from being a successful general to being ruler, and under him the Roman empire reached its “furthest borders”.
The “aegis” (a goatskin clock with a seam of snakes and the head of Medusa) over the left shoulder was earlier befitting only of gods. The message is clear: the Roman emperor rules the world with the mandate and omnipotence of the gods.
Source: C.H. Beck’ book “Glyptothek, Munich”
Marble portrait
About 138-161 AD
Munich , Munich, Glyptothek
Trajan
Trajan wears the civic crown of oak leaves, which is embellished over the middle of the forehead with a separately attached medallion (missing). Long bands fall from the crown to the shoulders. The sword belt indicated on the bust is no mere imperial attribute for Trajan: he rose from being a successful general to being ruler, and under him the Roman empire reached its “furthest borders”.
The “aegis” (a goatskin clock with a seam of snakes and the head of Medusa) over the left shoulder was earlier befitting only of gods. The message is clear: the Roman emperor rules the world with the mandate and omnipotence of the gods.
Source: C.H. Beck’ book “Glyptothek, Munich”
Marble portrait
About 138-161 AD
Munich , Munich, Glyptothek