link here  | |  tools  |  share:
photo size: medium 640 new

Following Hadrian
recent  |  interesting  |  random  |  favorites  |  contacts  |  sets  |  tags:  
view large
Tiberius, circa AD 13, from Philomelium, Phrygia (modern Turkey), Louvre Museum
Tiberius, circa AD 13, from Philomelium, Phrygia (modern Turkey), Louvre Museum

This likeness of Tiberius corresponds to the "imperium maius" style of portrait that was created in AD 13, when Augustus granted Tiberius powers equal to his own. This head (which may have belonged to a statue wearing a cuirass) differs from other portraits of the same group in its austerity, which may have been due to this (very hypothetical) military character, but more probably resulted from the provincial origin of the work.

Tiberius
This stern countenance is the familiar one of Tiberius, prior to his accession to the head of the Roman Empire. The thin, rather bony face is structured by a well-defined chin and cheekbones. The rather forbidding expression is reinforced by the narrow, tight-lipped mouth. The short hair, which is hardly detailed, is styled in a fringe with very characteristic forked locks over the high forehead.

Augustus' successor
Tiberius (born in 42 BC) became the stepson of Augustus when the emperor married his mother Livia. He won renown for his glorious military career, but it was not until Augustus' appointed successors had died that the aging emperor resigned himself to adopting his stepson and making him his heir in 4 BC.
In AD 13, shortly before Augustus' death, Tiberius was named "imperium maius," a title that made him the emperor's equal by granting him supreme power in religious, legal, military, and civil affairs. A group of portraits has been linked to this event, as it shows similarities to an effigy on a coin that was minted for the occasion. The head in the Louvre belongs to this group, known as the "imperium maius type."

Augustan classicism
The style of this likeness is typical of portraits from the Augustan period: the influence of Republican portraiture is still present, but tempered by idealization with a strongly classicizing tendency. The sculptor's rendering of individual features - wide forehead and bony face - created an obvious resemblance to the future emperor, but this was toned down by the regularity of the face and its rather cold expression. The head from Philomelium differs from the other portraits of its group, however, in the ruggedness with which the princely features are rendered. This may have been because the statue was a military one and portrayed Tiberius wearing a cuirass. There is no material evidence, however, to support this theory. Perhaps the provincial origin of the head (perceptible in the summary treatment of the hair) suffices to explain the portrait's rather rugged appearance.

Attribution Share Alike Some rights reserved
Taken on: December 18, 2011
Tags: Everybody's photos tagged with Tiberius Tiberius
Sets appears in:   • Tiberius (14 AD – 37 AD)    • Louvre Museum   
Groups appears in:   • Julio Claudian Art, Roman Portraiture and Coins    • The Emperor Tiberius   
Camera: Olympus SP800UZ, f/2.8, 1/8 sec, 4.9mm, ISO 320 (more info) (hide info)
Camera: Olympus SP800UZ
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 0.125 sec (1/8)
Focal Length: 4.9mm
ISO: 320
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program: Creative (Slow speed)
Exposure Mode: Auto
Metering Mode: Multi-segment
White Balance: Auto
Gain Control: High gain up
Color Space: sRGB
Software: Version 1.0
Show full info
Stats: 1,721 views
Tiberius, circa AD 13, from Philomelium, Phrygia (modern Turkey), Louvre Museum

go back

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: