DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.37251#0060
28
SCALA1I. io
(head otherwise intact save for a lesion at temple), r. forearm from above elbow, r.
leg to mid-thigh, with the leather tabs (contact mark of leg on the saddle-cloth ignored
by restorer), sword-hilt. Emperor's horse: whole head (contact mark of Emperor's
arm on horse's neck ignored by restorer, cf. drawing where the contact mark is
accurately shown; the arm should be closer in, extended in a more horizontal line).
First barbarian : whole of 1. arm from shouider with hand, thumb of r. hand. Second
barbarian : 1. hand from wrist, two first fingers and thumb and tip of third finger of r.
hand. Foremost soldier on 1.: nose, r. arm and roll, lower edge of cloak over breast,
patch on 1. of shield, front of crest. Second soldier: nose. Emperor's companion:
tip of nose. The base, with the parts of the figures in immediate contact with it, is
likewise restored. Fig. 2, after Cod. Vat. 3439, f. 73, shows the state of the slab
previous to restoration.
This relief) with nos. 4 and 7, probably formed part of the decora-
tion of an Arch of Marcus Aurelius, from which came eight other panels
now let into the Arch of Constantine (see no. 4). The scene here takes
place in open country indicated by two withered oaks in the background.
In the foreground from the 1. advances Marcus Aurelius on horseback;
he wears tunic, cuirass with double row of fringed leather tabs, sash, and
a cloak, fastened on the r. shoulder with a brooch, fluttering backwards in
the wind, and military boots (leg restored); on his h, just above the horse's
mane, appears the top of the sword-hilt restored in the shape of an
eagle's head. The Emperor receives with a friendly gesture—the arm is
restored, but was extended forward, as the contact-mark on the horse's
neck proves—the submission of two barbarians who kneel before him.
They are dressed in tunics with long close sleeves, and mantles fastened
with a brooch on the chest. They have thick longish hair and curling
beards. Close to the Emperor on his 1. rides a person of rank, bare-
headed and in military dress, who turns in his saddle to speak to the
Emperor while a legionary holds his horse. This personage, as noted on
no. 4, is probably Bassaeus Rufus, the
This main group is surrounded by soldiery as follows. In the fore-
ground on the h, in close attendance on the Emperor, an officer of the
Praetorian guard, fully armed, wearing a cuirass with scalloped edge,
from below which appears a row of long, fringed leather tabs; beneath
the tabs again is visible the linen shirt; at the waist is a belt tied in
a knot; over the armour is thrown the long military cloak; with his
r. hand the officer holds the long spear, and with his 1. the hilt of his
dagger. Above the fluttering cloak of the Emperor is seen the head of
a soldier who is carrying a &<?.yz7/'zz7/z, probably the characteristic ensign
of the cavalry regiment (Domaszewski, Alz/bzzvz z'7/z AL'/zzzrr^zvz
pp. 26, 78). The head of a second IEurz7/zzz'zzzj appears to the r. of the
Emperor's companion, and immediately to the r. again is the head of
a horse, where the rider is invisible. Facing the horses are two more
fully armed legionaries, of whom the one standing farther back holds
the rein of the second horse as noted above. The action of the r. arm,
now restored, of the foremost legionary, is uncertain; on his 1. arm he
carries a tall oval shield. The lower branches of the two trees are closely
cropped; but the topmost branches burst into luxuriant foliage.
The first of the zzcai/Az, on the 1., has a twisted or spiral fringe,
perhaps of metal wire; the fringe of the second appears to be of some
soft material; this second ^^*z7/zz77z is surmounted by a conical ornament.
The composition of this relief was very popular with artists of the
Renaissance; we find it adapted for one panel of the ciborium of
SCALA1I. io
(head otherwise intact save for a lesion at temple), r. forearm from above elbow, r.
leg to mid-thigh, with the leather tabs (contact mark of leg on the saddle-cloth ignored
by restorer), sword-hilt. Emperor's horse: whole head (contact mark of Emperor's
arm on horse's neck ignored by restorer, cf. drawing where the contact mark is
accurately shown; the arm should be closer in, extended in a more horizontal line).
First barbarian : whole of 1. arm from shouider with hand, thumb of r. hand. Second
barbarian : 1. hand from wrist, two first fingers and thumb and tip of third finger of r.
hand. Foremost soldier on 1.: nose, r. arm and roll, lower edge of cloak over breast,
patch on 1. of shield, front of crest. Second soldier: nose. Emperor's companion:
tip of nose. The base, with the parts of the figures in immediate contact with it, is
likewise restored. Fig. 2, after Cod. Vat. 3439, f. 73, shows the state of the slab
previous to restoration.
This relief) with nos. 4 and 7, probably formed part of the decora-
tion of an Arch of Marcus Aurelius, from which came eight other panels
now let into the Arch of Constantine (see no. 4). The scene here takes
place in open country indicated by two withered oaks in the background.
In the foreground from the 1. advances Marcus Aurelius on horseback;
he wears tunic, cuirass with double row of fringed leather tabs, sash, and
a cloak, fastened on the r. shoulder with a brooch, fluttering backwards in
the wind, and military boots (leg restored); on his h, just above the horse's
mane, appears the top of the sword-hilt restored in the shape of an
eagle's head. The Emperor receives with a friendly gesture—the arm is
restored, but was extended forward, as the contact-mark on the horse's
neck proves—the submission of two barbarians who kneel before him.
They are dressed in tunics with long close sleeves, and mantles fastened
with a brooch on the chest. They have thick longish hair and curling
beards. Close to the Emperor on his 1. rides a person of rank, bare-
headed and in military dress, who turns in his saddle to speak to the
Emperor while a legionary holds his horse. This personage, as noted on
no. 4, is probably Bassaeus Rufus, the
This main group is surrounded by soldiery as follows. In the fore-
ground on the h, in close attendance on the Emperor, an officer of the
Praetorian guard, fully armed, wearing a cuirass with scalloped edge,
from below which appears a row of long, fringed leather tabs; beneath
the tabs again is visible the linen shirt; at the waist is a belt tied in
a knot; over the armour is thrown the long military cloak; with his
r. hand the officer holds the long spear, and with his 1. the hilt of his
dagger. Above the fluttering cloak of the Emperor is seen the head of
a soldier who is carrying a &<?.yz7/'zz7/z, probably the characteristic ensign
of the cavalry regiment (Domaszewski, Alz/bzzvz z'7/z AL'/zzzrr^zvz
pp. 26, 78). The head of a second IEurz7/zzz'zzzj appears to the r. of the
Emperor's companion, and immediately to the r. again is the head of
a horse, where the rider is invisible. Facing the horses are two more
fully armed legionaries, of whom the one standing farther back holds
the rein of the second horse as noted above. The action of the r. arm,
now restored, of the foremost legionary, is uncertain; on his 1. arm he
carries a tall oval shield. The lower branches of the two trees are closely
cropped; but the topmost branches burst into luxuriant foliage.
The first of the zzcai/Az, on the 1., has a twisted or spiral fringe,
perhaps of metal wire; the fringe of the second appears to be of some
soft material; this second ^^*z7/zz77z is surmounted by a conical ornament.
The composition of this relief was very popular with artists of the
Renaissance; we find it adapted for one panel of the ciborium of