Pericles with the Corinthian Helmet

What it is

This is a lost life-sized bronze statue of Pericles made by the sculptor Kresilas, probably set up on the Athenian Acropolis around the time of his death. It survives only through four Roman Imperial-era marble busts copied from the head, now held in museums including Berlin, London, Rome and the Vatican.

Why it matters

Kresilas did not aim for a realistic likeness but created an idealised image of Pericles as the long-serving strategos, wearing a Corinthian helmet that symbolised his military role. Ancient writers suggest the helmet may also have hidden an unusual head shape mocked in comedy. The statue became a lasting symbol of Athenian democracy and of how Pericles wanted, or was made, to be remembered.

Look closer

• Why might a leader choose to be shown wearing military gear rather than ordinary clothes?
• What does an idealised portrait tell us, and what might it hide?
• Why do only copies survive, and what might be different from the lost original?