Roman Emperor Busts Photos

After Julius Caesar defeated the Roman Republic in 31 BCE and became Rome's first Emperor, he and subsequent Caesars wanted Roman citizens to know who ruled. One method was to produce portrait busts centrally and ship them to provincial capitals. After the Renaissance, such sculptures became collectors' items among European kings who wanted to emulate the power. Collectors sought original or high-quality replica bust of each Caesar for their palaces and museums. This page shows images of some of what is available in various museums, but it is difficult to tell what dates from Roman times and what might be a later replica. Early Caesars were more widely produced and none may exist for later emperors. A link below connects to a full list of Caesars.

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Gallery of Roman busts at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman portrait busts (1st-5thC) at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Gallery of Roman portrait heads at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Collection of heads of various Roman Emperors (Caesars) at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria.

Roman politician & philosopher Marcus Tullius Cicero (lived 107-43 BCE) portrait head at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Marble statue merged in 19thC from a Caesar's head (5 BCE-14 CE) with later Flavian imperial body (69-90) at Altes Museum. Berlin, Germany.	Wall behind Roman theater stage with statue of Caesar. Orange, France.	Marble portrait of Caesar (c1470) attrib. Gregorio di Lorenzo at Memorial Art Gallery. Rochester, NY.

Roman Dictator & Consul Gaius Julius Caesar (ruled 49-44 BCE) portrait head at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Marble bust of Julius Caesar who made Arles a Roman colony in 46 BCE & settled it with veterans of VIth legion at Arles Antiquities Museum. Arles, France.	Julius Caesar bronze bust copy of Roman Republican era original at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	Marble portrait of Julius Caesar (c1455-60) by Mino da Fiesole in Garland limestone frame at Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland, OH.

Marble portrait of Octavian (63 BCE-14 CE) who later became Emperor Augustus at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman marble head of Emperor Augustus (25-1 BCE) at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA.	Bronze head from larger the life statue of Augustus (c27-25 BCE) prob. made in Egypt, found in Meroe, Sudan at British Museum. London, United Kingdom.	Roman Emperor Augustus (ruled 27 BCE-14 CE) portrait bust (c29 BCE) from Italy at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.

Roman Emperor Augustus (ruled 27 BCE-14 CE) portrait bust (c50 BCE) from Rome at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Emperor Augustus (ruled 31 BCE-14 CE) with oak leaf crown portrait bust (after 27 BCE) at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Bust of Roman Emperor Augustus (copy) (around Christ's birth) at New Aachen City Museum. Aachen, Germany.	Roman glass cameo portrait of Emperor Augustus (early 1stC) at Corning Museum of Glass. Corning, NY.

Roman Emperor Augustus (ruled 27 BCE-14 CE) toga statue (c27 BCE-150 CE) from Italy at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	.	.	.

Livia (lived 58 BCE-29 CE) wife of Emperor Augustus bronze portrait heads (1stC BCE-1stC CE) from Lyon, France at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Onyx Gemma Augustea cameo showing Augustus Caesar with gods (9-12) at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria.	Marble bust thought that of Lucius Caesar, grandson of Auguste (end 1stC BCE - 1stC CE) at Arles Antiquities Museum. Arles, France.	Marble bust of Gaius Caesar, grandson of Auguste (end 1stC BCE - 1stC CE) at Arles Antiquities Museum. Arles, France.

Roman Emperor Tiberius (ruled 14-37 CE) portrait head (c13 CE) from Asia Minor at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Marble bust of Roman emperor Tiberius (1stC CE) at Arles Antiquities Museum. Arles, France.	.	.

Roman Emperor Caligula (ruled 37-41 CE) portrait bust (c39-40 CE) from Asia Minor at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman marble head of Emperor Caligula (c40 CE) from Asia Minor at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA.	.	Roman Emperor Claudius (ruled 37-54 CE) portrait head at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.

Roman emperor Claudius bust in Peace Room at Versailles Palace. Versailles, France.	Roman Emperor Claudius (ruled 41-54 CE) portrait bust (c45-50 CE) from Italy at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Emperor Claudius (ruled 41-54 CE) portrait head with crown (c41-50 CE) from Thasos at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman emperor Claudius (41-54) marble bust (41-54) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.

Roman emperor Nero (54-68) marble bust (59-64) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	Roman Emperor Nero (ruled 54-68 CE) portrait head at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Roman life-size bronze head of Emperor Nero (1stC CE) found in River Alde at Rendham, Suffolk at British Museum. London, United Kingdom.	Roman marble portrait head of Emperor Nero (c60 CE) from Egypt at University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology. Columbia, MO.

Roman Emperor Vespasian (ruled 69-79 CE) statue in Toga (c76-79 CE) from Italy at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman emperor Vespasian (69-79) marble bust (late 1stC) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	.	.

Roman emperor Titus (79-81) marble bust (late 1stC) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	Roman Emperor Titus (ruled 79-81 CE) portrait head at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Marble bust of Roman princess Giulia di Tito (64-90), daughter of Roman emperor Titus at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	.

Roman Emperor Trajan (ruled 98-117 CE) marble portrait head (108 CE) at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman emperor Trajan (98-117) marble bust (early 2ndC) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	Roman Emperor Trajan (ruled 98-117 CE) portrait head at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Bust of Roman emperor Trajan in round niche above door in entrance hall at Russborough House. Ireland.

Portrait head of Caesar Hadrian (after 17 CE) at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria.	Roman Emperor Hadrian (ruled 117-138 CE) portrait head (c150-200 CE) from Tunisia at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman emperor Hadrian (117-138) marble bust (117-138) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	Marble bust perhaps of Roman emperor Hadrian (2ndC CE) at Arles Antiquities Museum. Arles, France.

Roman marble portrait head of Emperor Hadrian (c130 CE) from Greek island of Paros at Museum of Fine Arts. Boston, MA.	Roman marble portrait head of Emperor Hadrian (c130-140 CE) at University of Missouri Museum of Art & Archaeology. Columbia, MO.	Roman Emperor Hadrian (ruled 117-138 CE) portrait head at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Egyptian-style Roman statue of Antinous (a favorite of Emperor Hadrian) of marble ( c135) from Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli at Museum Ägyptischer Kunst. Munich, Germany.

Roman bronze head of Emperor Hadrian (2ndC CE) found in River Thames near London Bridge at British Museum. London, United Kingdom.	.	.	.

Roman emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161) marble bust (138-161) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	.	.	.

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (ruled 161-180 CE) portrait bust (c171 CE) from Probalinthos, Attica at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (ruled 161-180 CE) portrait bust (c180-3 CE) from near Rome at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180) marble bust (late 2ndC) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.	Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (ruled 161-180 CE) portrait bust at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.

Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius (ruled 161-180 CE) portrait head (c195-7 CE) from Tunisia at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Portrait bust of Caesar Marc Aurel (170-180) at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria.	Faustina wife of Marcus Aurelius portrait head (c161-2 CE) from Algeria at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	.

Roman Co-Emperor Lucius Verus (ruled with Marcus Aurelius 161-169CE) portrait head (c161-197 CE) from Algeria at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Co-Emperor Lucius Verus (ruled with Marcus Aurelius 161-169CE) portrait bust (c180-3-197 CE) from near Rome at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Lucille wife of Lucius Verus giant portrait head (c150-200 CE) from Tunisia at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman imperial busts of Lucius Verus (160-170), Empress Faustina the Younger (161-170) & Marcus Aurelius (138-144) at Altes Museum. Berlin, Germany.

Roman Emperor Commodus (ruled 180-193 CE) portrait head (c196-7 CE) from Algeria at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Portrait head of Caesar Commodus (180-192) at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria.	Roman marble bust of Emperor Commodus (180-185 CE) at Getty Museum Villa. Malibu, CA.	.

Roman Emperor Caracalla (ruled 211-217 CE) giant portrait head (c214 CE) from Greece at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Emperor Caracalla (ruled 211-217 CE) portrait bust (c212-5 CE) at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	.	.

Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (ruled 193-211 CE) portrait bust (after 204 CE) from Herculanum?, Italy at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (ruled 193-212 CE) portrait bust at Glyptothek. Munich, Germany.	Portrait bust of Caesar Septimius Severus (c200) at Kunsthistorisches Museum. Vienna, Austria.	Copy of 2ndC portrait bust of Caesar Septimius Severus at Trier Archaeological Museum. Trier, Germany.

Empress Julia Domma wife of Septimius Severus (193-211 CE) portrait bust (193 CE) at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman marble bust of Empress Julia Domna, wife of Septimius Severus (end 2nd-early 3rdC) at Beaux-Arts Museum. Lyon, France.	Empress Julia Domma wife of Septimius Severus (193-211 CE) statue at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	.

Roman Emperor Severus Alexander (ruled 222-235 CE) portrait head (c226-235CE) at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Emperor Pupienus (ruled 238 CE) portrait head (238 CE) at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Emperor Tacitus (ruled 275-6 CE) portrait bust at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman emperor Constantine (306-337) marble bust (4thC) at Uffizi Gallery. Florence, Italy.

Roman Eastern Emperor Theodosius II (ruled 408-450 CE) portrait head at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Roman Eastern Emperor Leo (ruled 457-474 CE) portrait bust (c470 CE)at Louvre Museum. Paris, France.	Marble bust of Roman Emperor in Diana room at Versailles Palace. Versailles, France.	Porphyry stone bust of roman emperor with golden toga at Versailles Palace. Versailles, France.


See Also:	Roman Emperor Names Roman Empire Portrait Heads & Busts Roman Empire Art & History History of Sculpture