Roman ruler's head found in sewer
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4727391.stm

A 1,700-year-old carved marble head of Emperor Constantine has been found in a sewer in central Rome.
Archaeologists found the 60cm (2ft) head while clearing an ancient drainage system in the ruins of the Roman Forum.

Eugenio La Rocca, superintendent of Rome's artefacts, described the head as a rare find and said it was possible it had been used to clear a blocked sewer.

Constantine, who reigned from 306 to 337, is known for ending persecution of Christians and founding Constantinople.

Although most of his subjects remained pagans, he is credited with helping to establish Europe's Christian roots by proclaiming religious freedom.

It could have been put there to symbolise the resentment of a pagan people for their Christian emperor

Eugenio La Rocca

The white marble head was confirmed as a portrait of Constantine by experts who compared it with coins and two other giant heads kept in Rome's Capitoline Museums.

Probably carved between 312 and 325 AD, when Constantine was at the height of his power, it may have belonged to a statue of the emperor in full armour.

"Recovering a portrait of this size and in this state of conservation in the very heart of the city is really extraordinary," said Mr La Rocca.

"We have concluded that the head did not fall by accident into the passage, but was put there on purpose.

"It could have been used as a big piece of stone to divert water from the drain, or it could have been put there to symbolise the resentment of a pagan people for their Christian emperor."

The head's unceremonious insertion in the drain may have saved it from the plundering of the Forum after the fall of the Roman empire in the 5th Century.

It is expected to go on display in Rome's museums after a brief period of restoration.

That's cool!! Thanks for posting.

Cool! I love Rome, there's history EVERYWHERE... even in the sewers! :lol: I love the ancient ruins in the center of the city that have been turned into a cat sanctuary, it's where Brutus stabbed Julius Caesar.


http://www.romancats.de/

Yes, that's a great place, one of my favourites too.

Romy

This is off topic but I just noticed your Harold and Maude signature... my favorite movie! The end gets me everytime I watch it. :distress:

I love when shows about Roman history come on. I rented that giant series they have, that covers the whole empire, but it was pretty clean. Good, though, still.

Wow - very cool.

Thanks for posting that.

Same here. It's one of the movies that moves and at the same time makes me happy the most.

Romy

that is so cool. i am such a huge history nerd... like really great big huge time history nerd. roman history isn't really my 'thing' but i'm always impressed by finds such as the one in the article. his head survived for 1700 years in a sewer, who wouldn't love that?

I just have to go to Italy some day.