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Primary sourceSculpturec. 173 AD

Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius

c. 173 AD

A bronze statue showing Marcus Aurelius on horseback with his hand raised, one of the few surviving bronze statues of a Roman emperor.

This bronze statue portrays Marcus Aurelius as emperor, shaping his public image as a peaceful ruler.

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Bronze equestrian statue of a bearded man on a rearing horse, with his right hand raised in a gesture. He wears a draped cloak. The horse's right foreleg is lifted. Displayed indoors on a dark plinth under lights.
Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, c. 173 AD. Capitoline Museums, Rome.

About this source

What it is

This bronze statue, about 4.24 metres tall, shows the emperor Marcus Aurelius mounted on a horse with his arm extended in a gesture of address. It was made around 173 AD and originally stood elsewhere before being moved to the Capitoline Hill in the 16th century. The original is held in the Capitoline Museums; a replica now stands outdoors.

Why it matters

It is the only surviving bronze equestrian statue of a Roman emperor, saved because people in the Middle Ages mistakenly believed it depicted the Christian emperor Constantine. Shown without weapons or armor, it presents Marcus as a peaceful ruler rather than a conqueror, matching how he wished to be seen.

Look closer

  • Why do you think the sculptor chose to show the emperor without armor or weapons?
  • What does the gesture of his hand suggest he is doing?
  • How did a mistaken identity help this statue survive when so many others were melted down?

This sculpture is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Marcus Aurelius on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Title page of a 1558 Latin and Greek edition of Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, printed in Zurich by Andreas Gesner. The page lists Xylander as translator and includes a second title for Marinus' Life of Proclus.Book

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Marcus Aurelius · c. 170-180 AD (this edition printed 1558)

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Secondary source

Column of Marcus Aurelius

completed c. 193 AD

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Secondary source

Marcus Antoninus (Historia Augusta)

Scriptores Historiae Augustae · probably 4th century AD

Marble relief panel showing a Roman sacrifice scene: a bearded figure in a toga extends a hand over a small altar or tripod while attendants and a bull stand nearby. Columned temple facade with a pediment and a frieze above a bull-driven procession are in the background, with several onlookers at left and right.Sculpture

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Panel Relief of Marcus Aurelius Sacrificing

Manuscript page in brown ink with red rubrics, showing dense Latin text in a medieval hand. Red headings read 'Vita Antonini Pii explicit' and 'Incipit Marci Antonini Philosophi'. A large decorated initial M begins the next life. Marginal notes appear at the top and right.Book

Secondary source

Historia Augusta (Augustan History)

Scriptores Historiae Augustae

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