Near the second mile of the Appia Antica road in Rome, Italy, sewer works led to the discovery of a life-sized marble statue that was considered to be Hercules in antiquity.
According to the Archaeological Park of Appia Antica, archaeologists are now determining if the statue, which most certainly originates from the Roman period, is one of the great Roman official who is portrayed as Hercules or an old Greek semi-god and hero.
When the first sewer works in the region began a century ago, it is thought that the statue was tossed into the trench. That strips the discovery of its original context, geographic setting, and any indications these would have offered us regarding its identification.
According to the post, “In order to identify and date the statue, we must therefore “seek comparisons” by analyzing similar artefacts which is one of the archaeologist’s main post-excavation activities.”
According to the news of Greek Reporter, at first glance, scholars noticed “a fair resemblance” between the facial traits of the Hercules statue and the emperor Gaius Messius Quintus Traianus Decius, better known as Decius Trajan, who governed from 249 to 251, when he was slain in the battle of Abrittus between Goths and Romans.
The post continues like this: “The face of our “Hercules”, albeit corroded, seems to share the “anxiety wrinkles” of the official portraits of Decius, reminiscent of the Roman republican portraiture aimed at representing concern for the fate of the State, a virtue valued very positively in the high offices of the empire.”
The treatment of the scanty beard and the morphology of the eyes, nose, and lips are other distinguishing characteristics.
The archaeologists will nevertheless consider all options. Following the cleaning, more components are anticipated to appear that will either support the initial theory or point in the direction of alternative identifications.
In any event, given that he was shown as Hercules, it is quite likely that the guy with the lion headpiece was a famous character.