Ercole, un privato o Massimiano Erculeo? A proposito di un’inedita testa dal Magazzino Sculture dei Musei Capitolini

Abstract

is paper presents an unpublished overlifesized male head from the archives of the Musei Capitolini. At rst sight, the short hair and beard, the strong
features and the crowning stróphion allow to identify the head as belonging to Hercules. e rough workmanship of the hair and beard, the sharp wrinkles,
the peculiar form of the pupil nd some convincing comparanda in the second half of the later third century. However, the resolute personality and the
expression of great energy of the head lead the author to identify it as a portrait of a person in the guise of Hercules. is identication and the head’s monumental
size point to attribute it to an emperor, rather than to a private citizen. In this case we propose Maximianus, the only ruler of the relevant period
to be called ‘Herculeus’ and represented as Hercules on his coins.