Exhibition "Greece in Rome"- Capitoline Museums (accessible route)

Museo: Mostra "La Grecia a Roma" - Musei Capitolini

1. Introduction

Welcome to the exhibition "Greece in Rome," curated by Eugenio La Rocca and Claudio Parisi Presicce. I will guide you in discovering the enduring and fruitful bond that existed between Rome and the Greek world—a relationship shaped by commercial exchanges, military conquests, and cultural appropriations. This exhibition retraces, in five sections, the main stages through which Greek works arrived in Rome and became an integral part of its identity. This is the second event in the series "The Great Masters of Ancient Greece," a project promoted by Roma Capitale, Department of Culture, and the Capitoline Superintendence for Cultural Heritage, organized by Zètema Progetto Cultura. The exhibition was funded by the European Union's Next Generation EU program as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). It is included among the initiatives of "The Jubilee of Pilgrims: artistic and cultural events in the city of Rome, from the center to the outskirts, aimed at promoting tourism during the Jubilee period."

2. SECTION I: Rome Meets Greece

Since its foundation around the mid-8th century BC, Rome has maintained fruitful relations with the Greek world and imported refined artifacts, predominantly ceramics, intended to be placed in prestigious contexts such as sanctuaries and tombs. In the first section, the narrative begins with a small group of ceramics from the island of Euboea discovered in the sacred area of S. Omobono, and then continues with a selection of exceptional finds, including votive bronzes depicting a kore and a goat.

3. Cup with Sigma Decoration, 725-650 BC and Wine Jug with Geometric Decoration, 700-650 BC

In front of you is a display case containing dozens of vases produced in the center of Corinth, Greece, and imported to Rome during the monarchical period. These vases are part of the funerary set known as “Group 125,” which comes from the Esquiline Hill. The panel allows you to explore, through touch, two raised drawings depicting a cup and a jug—two representative types of vessels from the collection, used for drinking and pouring wine. Let’s start with the cup, which is the older of the two artifacts. It dates back to the second quarter of the 8th century BCE, the years around the legendary founding of Rome, traditionally set in 753 BCE. The cup stands 12 centimeters tall and is shaped like a bowl with walls that flare outward towards the top. The base has a diameter of 4.5 cm, which gradually increases to 13.5 cm at the rim. Just below the rim are horizontal handles. The space between the handles is decorated with a sequence of sigma motifs. Now let’s move on to the jug, a closed vessel form designed to hold liquids. The jug stands 29 cm tall and reaches a diameter of 20 cm at its widest point. Its distinctive feature is the trilobed shape of its upper rim. The entire body is decorated with a geometric pattern of horizontal lines, which transform into a diamond motif on the neck. The handle is set vertically to ensure a better grip.

4. SECTION II: Rome Conquers Greece

The centuries-old bond between Rome and Greek art underwent a transformation with the arrival in the city of the spoils taken from Syracuse in 211 BC by General Marcus Claudius Marcellus: from that moment on, the Romans began to admire Greek works of art. The famous statement by Livy gives voice to the cultural turning point taking place in Rome between the end of the 3rd and the beginning of the 2nd century BC, and marks the transition to the second section of the exhibition: “Rome conquers Greece.” During the military campaigns conducted in Magna Graecia and the Eastern Mediterranean, Rome appropriated artistic masterpieces of inestimable value: marble and bronze statues, painted panels, engraved silverware, and luxurious furnishings. Over the course of the 2nd century BC, an enormous quantity of treasures was transferred to the Urbs, symbolizing the supremacy and power of the victorious generals. This section offers an overview of these precious artifacts, mostly in bronze, bearing witness to the splendor of the war spoils.

5. Crater of Mithridates VI Eupator, 100-50 BC.

In front of you is displayed a bronze krater of impressive dimensions. It stands about 70 centimeters tall, reaching roughly to the thigh of an adult. You can explore a tactile relief drawing that reproduces its shape. Starting from the base, the body of the vessel gradually widens upward until it reaches its maximum diameter of 52 centimeters. At this point, two large arched handles are attached symmetrically. Above this, the neck narrows, creating a distinct change in profile, and ends in a flared rim, meaning it is folded outward. The entire surface of the vessel's body is covered with dense vertical ribs. To the touch, these feel like narrow, closely spaced grooves, creating a continuous and orderly rhythm, similar to a succession of parallel folds. On the upper face of the rim runs an inscription in Greek, engraved directly into the metal. The text commemorates the dedicator, Mithridates VI Eupator, King of Pontus, and names the recipients of the dedication: the Eupatorists of the Gymnasium, members of a college of athletes on Delos. The krater was brought to Rome as war booty, most likely by the Roman general Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great), to celebrate his victory over Mithridates. The vessel was found in the stretch of sea in front of Nero’s villa at Anzio, where the emperor had likely had it transported. It was Pope Benedict XIII who donated it to the Capitoline Museums.

6. SECTION III: Greece Conquers Rome

“Greece, once conquered, conquered her fierce conqueror and brought the arts into rough Latium,” wrote Horace. With this phrase begins the narrative of the third section, “Greece Conquers Rome.” Much of the decorative and architectural sculpture brought from Greece by conquering generals found a home in public spaces such as squares, porticoes, temples, and libraries, vastly increasing the city’s splendor. These public displays adorned urban spaces and fueled a passion for Greek artistic civilization, which had by then become an essential part of every cultured Roman’s education. The section includes a video projection dedicated to the Temple of Apollo Sosianus, whose pediment was decorated with Greek sculptures depicting an Amazonomachy.

7. Female head from an acrolith, 470-450 BC

You are about to explore the raised drawing of a head measuring 44 cm in height, which belongs to a statue made using the acrolithic technique. This system was especially used for cult statues: a wooden framework, later covered with fabric, was fitted with the visible parts—such as the head, hands, and feet—carved in marble. This combination of materials gave the statue a powerful visual impact: it appeared lifelike and could reach colossal dimensions. Now explore the top of the head: the surface is smooth and rounded. On the forehead, at the location of the two circular elements you can feel, there are large holes: these were used to attach a helmet to the head, an accessory that allows the deity represented to be identified as Athena. Moving downward, notice the perfect symmetry of the eyebrow arches, which lend solemnity to the gaze. Pause at the eyes: the eyeballs are still present and set in a material different from marble. At the center of each eye, you can feel a circular hollow, corresponding to the iris, which was once made of yet another material and is now lost. Continue toward the nose, which is preserved in its entirety, regular and harmonious. Just below, you encounter the mouth: the full lips hint at a slight smile, which softens the overall expression of the face. Following the profile, your fingers recognize the elongated oval of the face. The rounded chin decisively defines the lower part of the face. Conclude your exploration by touching the neck: it is long and powerful, firmly set on a broad base that was probably hidden by the garment.

8. Frieze with Doves, 4th century BC

In front of you is a rectangular bas-relief, approximately 20 centimeters high and 53 centimeters wide. Begin exploring it from the edges. Under your fingers, you immediately recognize two symmetrical figures: they are two birds, depicted in profile and facing each other, as if they are looking at one another. These are doves. Follow the outline of one of them: you can feel the compact body, the rounded chest, and the shape of the little legs resting on the lower edge of the relief. The plumage is not engraved, as it was probably added with paint. Each dove holds a thin, elongated element in its beak: this is an infula, a sacred ribbon used as a ritual ornament. Trace the ribbon with your fingers: it curves between the two beaks and is composed of a succession of oval beads; it ends with a tripartite tip. Now examine the space between the two doves, at the center of the bas-relief. Here you find a recessed circular element: it is a patera, a small ritual dish used in sacrifices to pour wine offered to the gods. Touch the center of the patera: you will feel a slight round bump, called the umbilicus, a typical feature of this object. The entire composition is characterized by its symmetrical arrangement: the two doves face each other, joined by the ribbon arranged like a garland and the central patera. Finally, on the right side, it is possible to recognize a second patera, indicating that the decoration continued on this side; on the left side, instead, you can identify the border marking the edge of the panel, which was probably created to decorate an altar. The depiction of the doves, animals sacred to Aphrodite, may suggest a connection to the goddess’s cult.

9. Male Torso, 430 BC

The Romans adopted the custom of transferring the pedimental sculptures from Greek temples to Rome. The work you are about to touch belongs to this category of artifacts. It represents the torso of a naked man, standing 56 cm tall. Through an initial general exploration, you can sense the original position of the figure. The body is semi-reclined on its right side, the torso is slightly rotated forward, and the legs, now fragmentary, must have extended toward the left. The right arm is bent: by following it with your hand, you can feel the elbow resting on a small supporting pillar. Now that you have understood the overall pose, let’s focus on the anatomical details. Start from the top and touch the shoulders: they are broad and robust. Moving down, you feel the pectoral muscles, well-developed and sculpted with great precision. Continue toward the center of the torso, where you can perceive the epigastric arch, and then lower down, the abdominal quadrant. The musculature is powerful yet natural. As is typical in Greek sculpture, the human body is depicted with great fidelity, demonstrating a profound knowledge of human anatomy. From a stylistic point of view, the work is dated to around 430 BC, at the height of the Greek Classical period. The elongated pose makes this sculpture suitable for decorating the right corner of a pediment.

10. Model of the Temple of Apollo Sosianus

You are exploring the scale model of the Temple of Apollo Medicus, which was dedicated in 431 BC following a severe plague that struck Rome. The temple was rebuilt starting from the last three decades of the 1st century BC through the efforts of the general Gaius Sosius, from whom it took the name Apollo Sosianus. Begin your exploration of the model from the base. Beneath your hands, you can recognize the podium, tall and solid: in the Augustan phase, it was constructed from blocks of tuff, a volcanic stone widely used in Roman architecture. The podium raises the building above the ground and accentuates its monumental character; access was provided by the two staircases you can feel on the sides. Now, proceed upwards. On the front, the building features six columns made of Lunense marble, today known as Carrara marble. The capitals are of the so-called "Corinthianizing" type, meaning they derive from the Corinthian order but are enriched and transformed with freer and more decorative vegetal motifs. Above them, the architrave has a notably projecting cornice. Now focus on the pediment, the triangular section that crowns the façade. In this space, decorative sculptures were placed, transferred from a Greek temple of the classical age. These likely came from the Temple of Apollo known as Daphnephoros, meaning "laurel bearer," in the city of Eretria in Euboea. The sculptures can be dated between 450 and 425 BC, roughly the era of Phidias' Parthenon, and depict an Amazonomachy, the mythical battle between the Greeks and the Amazons, legendary warrior women.

11. Head of Athena from the Temple of Apollo Sosianus, ca. 450 BC.

The plaster cast you are touching has many stories to tell. It is a reproduction of a female head, the original of which is kept in the Vatican Museums. It was created in the 1980s at the initiative of Eugenio La Rocca, one of the curators of this exhibition. At that time, the scholar was analyzing the sculptures from the pediment of the Temple of Apollo Sosianus. During his research, he realized that a head from the Vatican Museums, which had been mounted on a modern bust and restored as if it depicted Mercury, could actually complete the headless body of the statue of Minerva, located at the center of the temple’s pediment. Now, explore the cast with your hands. Start from the top: the surface of the skullcap is only roughly shaped. This is because the head was not meant to be seen in its entirety; it was originally completed by a helmet worn on the head, which covered the upper part. Moving down toward the temples, you reach the ears, from which precious metal earrings once hung. Now bring your fingers to the face and pause at the shape of the almond-shaped eyes: if you look closely, the right one is noticeably larger, a detail that suggests the head was meant to be viewed primarily from this side. The gap you feel at the center of the mouth is due to the loss of a restoration piece, which was added in modern times and is now missing. Finally, one more curiosity: the cast still preserves the shape of the eighteenth-century nose, which has since been removed from the original head.

12. SECTION IV: Greek Works of Art in Private Spaces

Not only public monuments, but also private residences could be enriched with works of art of Greek origin. In the fourth section, the exhibition first presents the Greek sculptures that decorated the horti, that is, the residential complexes surrounded by greenery on the outskirts of central Rome, followed by sculptures from the grand villas of the imperial era, mostly located in the suburbs. These works allow us to reconstruct the refined atmosphere and the collector’s taste that characterized the residences of the Roman aristocracy.

13. Ram's Head, 5th–4th century BC

The marble ram’s head is sculpted at life size, measuring approximately 23 cm in height and 32 cm in width. You can explore a tactile relief drawing that reproduces its shape. The animal’s face, with its elongated snout, has a smooth and polished surface, which contrasts with the surrounding fleece, sculpted with remarkable naturalism. To the touch, you can feel dense, small, and closely set curls that create a lively, textured surface. The eyes are hollow because the eye sockets were made separately, probably from another material, and are now lost. On either side of the head emerge the magnificent horns. They begin just above the ears and coil around themselves in a spiral curve. To the touch, they have a surface marked by slight undulations that suggest the natural growth of the horn. It is possible that the head, which can be dated to between the 5th and 4th centuries BC, belonged to a statuary group representing sacrificial animals. It was discovered at the end of the 18th century in the villa of Lucius Verus on the Via Cassia: it was part of an art collection owned by the emperor.

14. SECTION V. Greek Masters in the Service of Rome

And here we are at the final section of the exhibition: in this room, you will find a selection of works created by Greek artists specifically for the Roman market. When the number of imported originals began to decline, while demand continued to grow, workshops sprang up in Athens, Delos, and later in Rome, specializing in the production of sculptures intended for the wealthy local clientele. The letters Cicero wrote to his friend Atticus reveal anecdotes and curiosities about the art market in the 1st century BC, its dynamics, and its main figures. We know, for example, that affluent patrons like Cicero himself chose what to buy and where to place it with great care, adapting each piece to its setting: statuettes of athletes to decorate a gymnasium, portraits of philosophers or writers to embellish a library. Some of these small-scale statuettes are displayed on the wall to the left.

15. Fountain in the Shape of a Drinking Vessel – Augustan Era

You are about to explore a monumental marble fountain created during the Augustan age by an artist named Pontios, originally from Athens. We know the artist’s name thanks to an inscription carved directly onto the work. The vessel is one and a half meters wide and over 110 centimeters tall: try to imagine it as an imposing presence within the space. Now, approach one side of the vessel and place your hands on the lowest part of the work. You will immediately feel the support, sculpted to resemble a cluster of vegetation. Follow the rounded edges of the leaves with your fingers: their bodies are marked by ribs that create a regular rhythm. From this vegetal decoration, the actual vessel emerges. Try to recognize its overall shape: it is a drinking horn. On the front, the vessel is sculpted in the form of a chimera, a mythological creature: you can identify the lion’s head with its mane. The griffin’s wings and equine legs are broken. Now, follow the body of the vessel upwards, letting your fingers glide over the marble. For about two-thirds of its length, the surface is covered with ribbing. Before you reach the rim, you’ll feel a smooth band under your hands, interrupting the rhythm of the ribs. On this band, three Maenads—companions of the god Dionysus—are sculpted in low relief. Explore the figures: their bodies are in motion, their poses dynamic. Two Maenads are carrying young goats, while the third is engaged in an ecstatic dance. Finally, the vessel gradually widens and ends with a flared rim, that is, folded outward. Follow the edge with your fingers: it is decorated with a regular sequence of egg-shaped motifs, an elegant ornamental pattern that completes the decoration of the work.