Equestrian Domitian

Equestrian Domitian

ca. 95 AD, Flavian period

Unknown

Bronze

The rider is 130 cm tall

Sacellum of the Augustales in the Forum at Misenum, Italy,

Archaeological Museum of Campi Flegrei, Baiae, Italy

Description:
The statue of “Equestrian Domitian” is a dynamic representation of a man riding a horse. The horse’s front legs are bent and lifted off the ground, with its left hoof raised slightly higher than its right. The main portion of the horse’s body is not made from bronze but from a light brown material. It is made up of 5 separate pieces leaving gaps between the right and left side, the back and front, and the neck and body. The rear and hind legs of the horse are missing. Its body is angled so that it appears as though it would be standing on its hind legs if they were still there. There is an open space in the restoration below the horse's head, which is made of bronze and is turned to the left. Its hollow eyes and mouth are wide open and its nostrils are flared. Its mane is tied into a small bunch in between its flattened ears. The man is sitting upright on the horse with his left arm is holding onto the horse’s reigns. His torso and head are turned to the right. His right arm is bent at the elbow so that his forearm is nearly vertical. He is holding a small spear in his hand. He is wearing a thigh-length tunic, a short cuirass, a military clock, and senatorial shoes. His cuirass is embellished with reliefs and incised decoration. At the center, there is the head of Medusa. Underneath, there are two snakes joined in a Hercules knot. On the right shoulder, an infant Hercules is depicted strangling two snakes. The remainder of the cuirass is covered with incised sea creatures such as dolphins, eels, and fish. The man’s wavy hair continues down the back of his neck. His face shows signs of verism, including wrinkles on his forehead, nose, and mouth. His nose is large and his mouth is very small. There is a seam along the edge of his face, and there are signs of damage along the left side of the neck leading to a hole along this seam.

Significance:
This portrait was found in the Forum at Misenum in a temple to the divine emperors. However, despite being named after Domitian, this portrait in its current state cannot represent this Emperor because he was given a damnatio memoriae after his death. This means that he was not deified and therefore would not be honored in this temple. Instead, it shows the face of Nerva. Its name is not wrong, however, because the body does, in fact, depict Domitian. It appears that the Romans chose to erase Domitian’s memory by simply reworking this piece rather than destroying it. The seam that goes around the face clearly indicates that Nerva’s face was not the original. Without his face, Domitian is still recognizable because of his mullet-like hair and the personalization on his cuirass. Domitian was well known for associating himself with Hercules and Minerva, who are both referenced on the breastplate. Gorgons were commonly found on armor, as they were believed to be apotropaic. The specific choice of Medusa, however, is specifically associated with Minerva. The incised sea creatures were likely a reference to the statue’s location in Misenum than Domitian personally. In addition to helping identify the portrait’s original subject, the figure’s clothing helped art historians establish that statue depicts the figure hunting lions. Typically, an equestrian statue depicts the rider engaged in warfare. However, Domitian is not wearing the attire associated with battle. He does not have a helmet or a shield, both of which are generally found in battle scenes. Furthermore, he is not wearing caligae, but senatorial shoes. Although there are other examples of Roman portraits in which the emperor wears both his military uniform and senatorial shoes, they are not battle scenes. Nonetheless, it is clear that the figure is in the process of attacking something. Many people believe this to be a lion, thus making this a hunting scene. This is further confirmed by the horse’s expression. Although much has been restored, thankfully the horse’s head has remained intact. Its face shows a significant amount of fear, and it is turning away from something that perhaps would have been just to the right of its center. Roman horses were well trained in battle and would not have exhibited this level of fear. This confirms that this was likely a lion hunting scene, as that would be something that the horse was unfamiliar with and therefore understandably afraid. Like many hunting scenes, this statue may have been erected to celebrate Domitian, and later Nerva’s, virtus.

Tuck, Steven L. A History of Roman Art. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Inc, 2015, pp. 198-199.

Tuck, Steven L. The Origins of Roman Imperial Hunting Imagery: Domitian and the Redefinition of Virtus under the Principate. Greece & Rome, vol. 52, no. 2, 2005, pp. 221–245., www.jstor.org/stable/3567870.