CIRCA 1ST CENTURY A.D.

This head recalls depictions of both Jupiter and Serapis, as each is portrayed with a full beard forked into two large central curls and long wavy locks framing his face. Moreover, the type was immensely popular during the Roman period for depictions of various Olympians, all likely inspired by the same 4th century B.C. original traditionally attributed to Bryaxis (see the Zeus Otricoli, no. 219 in I. Leventi, “Zeus,” LIMC, vol. VIII, and a head of Serapis once in the Bastis Collection, no. 139 in D. von Bothmer, et al., Antiquities from the Collection of Christos G. Bastis). Without attributes, it is impossible to determine the identity of the deity presented here. Of a related head once in the Lansdowne collection, A. Angelicoussis remarks that the indistinguishable nature between these older, fatherly deities “acted as important instruments of imperial propaganda. Avid annexing of ideas, beliefs and deities from far-flung lands enabled Rome to unite and absorb countless ethnic groups and political entities under its rule” (p. 186 in Reconstructing the Lansdowne Collection of Classical Marbles, vol. II).

The tenon preserved on the right side of this head indicates that it possibly originated from a high relief and could have once formed part of a triad including Serapis with Isis and Harpocrates (see no. V.20 in E.A. Arslan, et al., eds., Iside: Il mito, il mistero, la magia) or Jupiter with Juno and Minerva (the “Capitoline Triad,” see no. 492 in F. Canciani and A. Costantini, “Zeus/Iuppiter,” LIMC, vol. VIII).