Marcus Aurelius ruled from 161 to 180
Sagalassos (Turkey) – Archaeologists have discovered parts of a colossal statue of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, who ruled from 161 to 180 AD, in Turkey.
It was reported by the British BBC.
According to the team leader, Belgian Marc Waelkens from the Catholic University of Leuven, this is one of the best depictions of the ruler, who was also famous as a Stoic philosopher.
So far, it has been possible to find the lower parts of the legs, ending just above the knees, a one and a half meter long right arm and a hand holding an orb, on which the goddess of victory Niké was probably once.
Above all, however, a one meter high colossal head.
In the ancient city of Sagalassos, parts of a colossal statue of Emperor Hadrian and earlier this month the head and arm of a colossal statue of Empress Faustina, wife of Antoninus Pius, were discovered a year ago.
Thus, researchers believe that the room in the Roman baths where the statues were located contained a gallery of emperors of the Antonian dynasty, which ruled the empire in the second century AD.
The troops of Marcus Aurelius also fought at Trenčín. Here, a famous inscription was carved into the rock on the top of which Trenčín Castle stands:
“In honor of the victory of the emperors by 855 soldiers of the II legion from the army encamped at Laugaricium. This inscription was commissioned by Maximianus, legate of the II legion auxiliary.”
