At the start of the Common Era, Roman leaders used imperial portraits of themselves as a source of propaganda. Two sculptures in particular that reveal this quality are the bust of Commodus as Hercules and the Portrait Head of Caracalla.
Commodus Aurelius reigned from 180 CE to 192 CE after his father Marcus Aurelius. Although Marcus was an attentive and powerful conquer, these characteristics did not succeed to his son’s rule. Commodus had no sense of political authority, or social skills. He treated himself to luxury and thought very highly of himself. As one can see, Commodus is crowned with the head of the Nemean lion, has Hercules’ club and is holding the golden apples of the Garden of Hesperides. Also, the ringlets of his loose curly hair are a classic example of Greek portraits, thus implying he was a god. This proves that he believed to be the manifestation of the god Jupider and the epitome of Hercules. He was really feeling cocky when he wanted to acquire consulship presented in a gladiator’s ensemble, which in turn led to his arranged death by his mistress and affiliates. His conceited personality and flamboyant attire go along perfectly with the stylized body build portrayed in the statue. The meaning of Commodus’s statue is aimed towards the Roman people. He was conceited and his ego seemed to be larger than his political popularity.
The other figure of Caracalla on the other hand was tough as nails but needn’t express it with extravagant things. The high contrast and intensity of his eyes alone gives him a strong sense of authority and power. Caracalla and his brother, Geta, shared the co-emperor position. However, Caracalla wanted the power all to himself so he killed his brother and became emperor of Rome from 211 CE to his death in 217 CE. This clearly demonstrates his selfish and dominating habits from the get-go. The angry expression and hardness of his face depicts his lack of tolerance for anything that disturbs his authority. His short and well-trimmed hair gives him a solid and ready-to-fight appearance. He guarded the Empire and confronted enemies with control and stern authority. This is what makes his statue more widely understood among others; he wanted to be seen as a powerful leader and to have an influence over everyone, including his enemies.
These two statues are similar in a sense that they both try to portray strength and power, however, Commodus is bluffing and Caracalla is the real power-house. These figures also represent a shift in the constitution of imperial rule from a previous ruler such as the peaceful Agustus to the firm grip of Caracalla.
Hercules does have an air of arrogance about him because he is a demigod with incredible strength that he takes pride in. Caracella does appear to be proud but along with has the look of grumpy old man. He has seen much and endured lots of downfalls however through all of his experiences he has toughened up. Hercules on the other hand because of his abilities he thinks he can do anything and he is immortal. One guy is youthful and strong and the other is in the process of heading towards retirement.
ReplyDeleteIt was perfectly clear that Commodus thought very highly of himself. Just like so many other rulers we can see that they are perfectly fit and the way they present themselves is pretty much without flaw. They all are depicted as strong and youthful which i guess is important. But propaganda is the real meaning behind these pieces.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting how just by looking at Commodus' statue, one could tell that he was arrogant and reflected on materialistic things. The difference in the two statues just goes to show that authority and respect are not always granted based on appearance and objects. Caracalla seems to give off the impression of being more powerful and much more respected because of the look he has on his face where as Commodus makes himself look almost like a fool, dressing his appearance up with a the looks of Hercules, a club, and a lion cloak. He tried too hard to be accepted.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Courtney. Commodus looks sort of foolish and just by the looks of this portrait, I doubt I would want him to be my emperor. His eyes and posture suggest to me not only is he arrogant, but his perception of himself and his empire may be seriously clouded. And his lover was a conspirator against him. That says a lot.
ReplyDeleteHi, Brooke! Your observation and connection of Commodus' personality and his sculpture is spot on in my book! I mean with all of the embellishments that are being portrayed in this sculpture one can most like make the same connection as you have here. Also, your statement about the sculpture being aimed at the people of Rome logically makes sense as well with all of the decorations that he chose to use. It is unfortunate and sad that his arrogace lead to his demise, but with what is being displayed here it isn't hard to see how arrogant he was..
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