The emperor rides again: an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, the finest to survive from the glory years of ancient Rome, is on display once more, having galloped into a new, purpose-built home in the Capitoline Museum.
Aurelius (AD121-180) is drawing big crowds to the museum that flanks the Piazza del Campidoglio. Until 1981, he could be found saddled up in the Michelangelo-designed square, but was removed when the extent of pollution damage to his bronze became apparent. He and his mount were replaced by a dark brown copy that lacked the rich grey-green patina of the original.
The work - the equine equivalent of Michelangelo's David - now stands in a semi-circular, glass-roofed fixture called the Giardino Romano (Roman Garden). The light-flooded, uncluttered display area gives the piece new impact. From his barrel-bodied steed the bearded, curly haired Aurelius extends his right hand in a gesture combining command and blessing. The statue is believed to have been cast about AD176, just after the emperor led the Romans to victory over warring Germanic tribes. It's said that in the original a barbarian lay before the horse's raised hoof.
Aurelius was a combination of warrior-leader and philosopher, and although his self-help guide Meditations is turgid and his tolerance didn't extend to Christians, he was a considerable figure on the world stage.
A bird perches between the horse's ears. Roman legend has it that, when the end of the world is imminent, the bird will sing. An alternative legend says that, when the last trace of the statue's gilding disappears, Rome will fall and the world will end. Walter Veltroni, mayor of Rome, claims the gilding is spreading. And he reveals that when Aurelius was lowered onto his steed in its new location, the emperor wobbled worryingly for a few seconds. 'He's settling himself in,' said a workman.
Other Roman sculptures can be found on the perimeter of the new setting, including the foot, head and hand of a colossal statue of the emperor Constantine.
