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Augustus, The Roman Statue Of Augustus Of Primaporta

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Augustus of Primaporta is a marble statue of Augustus, the first emperor of the Roman empire, that was created in the 1st Century C.E. in Imperial Rome. It is freestanding and is made of marble. It shows a man in a “contrapposto pose”, wearing a military outfit and outstretching his right arm to address his troops. On the leg of the statue, there is a cupid figure riding on a dolphin. Lastly, on the breastplate, the statue has figures and messages connecting him to the gods. This statue was used to show how important Augustus was during his time of leadership. It was used to venerate him and reveal his importance as a military leader. The statue was placed in the villa of Primaporta, Augustus’ wife’s villa, and was used to idolize Augustus. Today, it is in Vatican Museums and its purpose is still to honor him. The piece artwork shows him as a military defeater (in his stance) and foreshadows the Pax Romana, a 200-year peace period initiated by him (on his breastplate). His body pose shows him addressing his troops, displaying that he is a leader of the army and a conqueror. He is also portrayed as having a perfect, youthful, and athletic body. The dolphin is a symbol of his victory at the Battle of Actium over Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, which made him the only ruler of the empire. The cupid figure represents that Augustus originated from the gods. Lastly, his breastplate associates him with the gods. He has many of the most well-known gods on this breastplate to symbolize

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