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A New Head of Hadrian from Pompeiopolis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2013

Ayşe Çalık
Ayşe Çalık
Affiliation:
King's College London
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Extract

In 1993, the head of an emperor was found in Pompeiopolis (Soloi or modern Viranşehir) and delivered to the Mersin Museum, where it is now on display (Pl. IX (a–d)). The head is notable because of its crystalline white marble material and its larger-than-life size. Maximum dimensions: H: 0·39 m, H (chin to crown): 0·32 m, W: 0·31 m, Th: 0·32 m.

The head had been broken from its statue-body, but has been preserved together in one piece with the neck. Its state of preservation is good, but there is the following damage to its features. Large chips have gone from the base of the neck on the left (Pl. IX (a, d)), and a smaller piece from the surface of the middle of the neck on the right. The beard on the lower side of the chin, the upper lip and the nose are broken. On the left (a, c), one larger chip has gone from the cheek, two smaller ones around the temple. A large portion of a hair lock is broken above the temple and the ear on the left. The centre of the corona civica, which might have had a jewel in its middle, has been damaged and a large portion has broken off (Pl. IX (a, b)). The surface, especially on the flesh parts, has weathered.

Type
Research Article
Information
Anatolian Studies , Volume 46 , December 1996 , pp. 83 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute at Ankara 1996

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References

1 I would like to thank my colleagues in Mersin Museum, particularly Yaşar Yalman, who helped me to study the head, and also the General Directorate of Museums and Monuments for their permission to publish it. I am grateful also to my supervisor, Prof. G. B. Waywell, for his advice on successive drafts of this paper.

I have used the following abbreviations: H: Height; W: Width; Th: Thickness; RdA: Rivista di Archeologia; JHS: Journal of Hellenic Studies; NNM: Numismatic Notes and Monographs; Wegner, “Verzeichnis”: Wegner, M. (with the collaboration of Unger, R.), “Verzeichnis der Bildnisse von Hadrian”, Boreas, VII (1984), pp. 105–156Google Scholar; Mon. Ant: Monumenti Antichi. Accademia nazionale dei Lincei (Roma); Giuliano: Giuliano, A., “La ritrattistica dell'Asia Minore dall' 89 a.C al 211 d.C.”, Rivista dell' Istituto Nazionale d' Archeologia e storia dell' Arte, N.S. VII, 1959, pp. 146–201Google Scholar; Inan-Rosenbaum, Roman: Rosenbaum, J. Inan-E., Roman and Early Byzantine Portrait Sculpture in Asia Minor, London, (1966)Google Scholar; Inan-Rosenbaum, Römische: Rosenbaum, J. Inan-E., Römische und Frühbyzantinische Porträtplastik aus der Turkei, Mainz, (1979)Google Scholar; Fittschen-Zanker, Katalog: Zanker, K. Fittschen-P., Katalog der Römischen Porträts in der Capitolinischen Museen und den anderen kommunalen Sammlungen der Stadt Rom, I–III, Mainz am Rhein, 1983–1985Google Scholar; Evers: Evers, Cécile, Les portraits d'Hadrien, Typologie et Ateliers, 1994Google Scholar; Wegner, Hadrian: Wegner, M., Hadrian. Plotina, Marciana, Matidia, Sabina, Berlin, 1956Google Scholar [ = Das römische Herrscherbild II–3]; Wegner, , Antoninen: Die Herrscherbildnisse in antoninischer Zeit, Verlag Gebr. Mann/Berlin, 1939Google Scholar.

2 The leaves here look like oak-leaves on account of their pointed tips and indented sides, but they are unnaturally long. They do not however have the appearance of bay leaves of the laureate crown. Adkins, L. -R. A, Handbook To Life in Ancient Rome, 1994, p. 91Google Scholar: “ ‘Corona Civica’ (civic crown) was next in importance to ‘Corona obsidionalis’ (siege crown) and was awarded for saving the life of a citizen. It was made of oak leaves and was sometimes known as the corona querca (oak crown). It was adapted as an imperial emblem, and frequently appeared on coins”.

3 Examples of the provincial emperor portraits including Hadrian's are examined by Zanker, P., Provinzielle Kaiserporträts, Zur Rezeption der Selbstdarstellung des Princeps, München, 1983Google Scholar. For the analysis of the Asia Minor portraiture see pp. 21–25.

4 Hill, F. G., Catalogue of Greek Coins: Lyconia, Isaura and Cilicia, London, 1900Google Scholar. Also, Toynbee, J.M.C., The Hadrianic School, A Chapter in the History of Greek Art, Cambridge, 1934, p.69Google Scholar. Henderson, B. W., The Life and Principate of the Emperor Hadrian, 1923, p. 293Google Scholar. Imhoof-Blumer, F., “Coin types of some Kilikian (sic) Cities” JHS, 1898, pp. 161–181Google Scholar. Bosch, C., “Kaiserdaten auf kleinasiatischen Münzen”, Numismatik, Internationale Monatsschrift, II, München, 1933, especially see p. 62Google Scholar.

5 Istanbul Archaeological Museum, inv. no. 5311. Ogan, Aziz, AA, 49, 1934Google Scholar, col. 411, fig; 1,2; Ogan, A., Istanbul Müzeleri, Asariatika Müzeleri Tunç Eserler Rehberi, Istanbul, 1937, p.21Google Scholar, pls. I, XX; Wegner, , Antoninen, p. 130Google Scholar; Lippold, G., Gnomon, 15, 1939, p. 570Google Scholar; Alkım, H. Th. Bossert-U. B., Karatepe, Kadirli ve Dolaylari, no. 340, p. 5 fGoogle Scholar. (Turkish), p. 20 (English), pl. V; Wegner, , Hadrian, p. 45, 99Google Scholar; Giuliano, p. 183.

6 It is a male torso wearing a quiver-strap. Arms from the armpits, head from the neck, legs from the mid-thighs are broken and missing. The torso is slightly over-life-size and nude except for the shoulder mantle which rests on the l. shoulder. A quiver strap crosses the chest obliquely from the right shoulder to the left side of the waist. The trace of the broken l. hand can be seen below the waist, set akimbo on the hip.

7 Gualandi, G., “Una Testa di Adriano da Hierapolis (Frigia)”, RdA, (1977) p. 87Google Scholar, no. 49, “Torso eroico, forse dal tempio coronzio (Hadrianum): The torso has been included among others in the PhD of Oehler, H., Untersuchungen zu den Männlichen Römischen Mantelstatuen, Berlin, 1961, p. 72Google Scholar under the subtitle of “Statuen aus den Jahrzehnten um 100 n Chr. Zurückhaltender Stil.”; Wilhelm, J. Keil-A., Denkmäler aus dem Rauhen Kilikien, MAMA III, p. 9Google Scholar, pl. 9, Fig. 22; Wegner, M., “Verzeichnis”, p. 107Google Scholar; “Zugehörigkeit zu einem Hadriansbildnis unbewiesen”. Vermeule, C., Roman Imperial Art in Greece and Asia Minor, Cambridge (Mass.) 1968, p. 258CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

8 Wegner, , “Verzeichnis”, p. 107Google Scholar.

9 Vermeule, op.cit, p. 258.

10 Features of the type include: a nude, young body, whose weight is taken by the right leg. The body wears a shoulder strap across the chest, as well as drapery; this covers the left shoulder, falling down from the back onto the forearm where it is spirally enveloped. The attribute is held on the left, but differs according to the identity of the person represented. The type is commonly used in the portrayal of the Roman emperors who preferred to appear as Greek heroes (or gods). The creator of the type is believed to be the fifth-century sculptor Kresilas.

11 Munich Glyptothek Museum, inv. no. 394 (256); Reinach, S., Répertoire de la Statuaire Grecque et Romaine, I, Paris, 1897, p. 579Google Scholar no. 2404, pl. 940 B.

12 The statue was transported to the Antalya Museum, (inv. no. 8.23.93) where it will be on display in the near future. It has been named as Trajan and is exptected to be published by either Prof. Jale Inan or one of her team members.

13 Inan, J., “Neue Porträtstatuen aus Perge”, Mansel'e Armağan II (Mélanges Mansel), TTK Yayınları, 1974, no. 3, pp. 650–651Google Scholar, pls. 200–201; Inan, J., Rosenbaum, E., Römische, no. 45 pp. 95–97Google Scholar, pls: 38, 1; 39, 2; 40, 1, 2. Mansel, A. M., AA, (1975), 91fGoogle Scholar. Fig. 63. Wegner, , “Verzeichnis”, pp. 108–109Google Scholar. Fittschen-Zanker, , Katalog, I, no., p. 53Google Scholar. Maderna, C., Iuppiter Diomedes und Merkur als Vorbilder für römische Bildnisstatuen, Heidelberg, 1988, no. D.9, p. 203Google Scholar. Evers, no. 7, pp. 83–84.

14 Evers, no. 88, p. 150, with bibliography.

15 Boyce, A. A., “The dated coins of Pompeiopolis”, in: Festal and dated coins of the Roman Empire: Four papers, NNM, Bd. 153, New York, 1965, pp. 15–21Google Scholar. For the example on which Hadrian is depicted, (held in the Newell Collection at the American Numismatic Society) see ibid., p. 15, 19, pl. III. 20. The coin bears the date 196 (i.e. in the post-Hadrian era), but the appearance of this date in not unusual. The explanation is given by Boyce in the same article on p. 1: “… while under the Roman emperors the coins generally, though not always, indicated the year in which they were struck, i.e. the year from the city's foundation”.

16 For the depiction of Hadrian on coins from Cilicia see: above fn. 4.

17 IGR, III, 896Google Scholar Anazarbus – 854 Corycos – 872 Pompeiopolis – 877; Tarsus. Also see one inscription in Iotape; Mon. Ant. XXIII, cols. 18 1–182, no. 128. Benjamin, Anna S., “The Altars of Hadrian in Athens and Hadrian's Panhellenic Program” Hesperia, 32, (1963), pp. 57–86CrossRefGoogle Scholar, (p. 86). Inan-Rosenbaum, Roman, Excursus: Inscribed Imperial Statue-bases.

18 Inan-Rosenbaum, , op.cit. IGR, III, 872Google Scholar. = Beaudouin, et Pottier, , BCH, IV (1880), pp. 75–76Google Scholar. = Feissel, G. Dagron-D., Inscriptions de Cilicie, p. 58Google Scholar.

19 From the local workshop of Perge.

20 The statue in Antakya Museum has a controversial identification.

21 Evers, no. 7. Inan-Rosenbaum, Römische, no. 45.

22 Evers, no. 6; for typology see pp. 225–232. Inan-Rosenbaum, Römische, no. 46.

23 Inan-Rosenbaum, Römische, no. 47.

24 Evers, no. 106.

25 See Evers, no. 103 for the bibliography. The list of the replicas in Fittschen-Zanker, , Katalog, I, no. 50, p.52Google Scholar.

26 Evers, no. 112. Fittschen-Zanker, , Katalog, I, no. 50, replica 12, pp. 52–53Google Scholar. Wegner, , Hadrian, pp. 16–18, 71, 109Google Scholar, Wegner, , “Verzeichnis”, p. 113Google Scholar.

27 Evers, no. 67. Also see: op.cit. bibliography.

28 Evers, no. 69. Also see: op.cit. bibliography.

29 Mentioned above as an example of the Diomedes pose. For the bibliography see Evers, no. 88, and Inan-Rosenbaum, Roman, no. 31.

30 Syme, R., “Journeys of Hadrian”, Roman Papers, VI, pp. 346–357Google ScholarZeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 73 (1988), pp. 159–170Google Scholar.

31 ibid., p. 352. “Halfman (p. 208) proposes a voyage along the coast of Syria – Cilicia – Pamphylia – Lycia – perhaps ending up at Ephesos”. Another claim by Henderson, p. 287 “Athens – Lycia – Cilicia – excursion to Cappadocia – Syria – Antioch – Palmyra – Judaea – Egypt”. Henderson, B. W., The Life and Principate of the Emperor Hadrian, 1923Google Scholar.

32 See the brief chronology by Evers, pp. 17–18.