Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius: The only surviving larger-than-life statue of a pagan Roman emperor – a rarity restored by Michelangelo

The tradition of depicting an emperor on a horse as a symbol of leadership was common in ancient Rome. However, the only remaining equestrian statue of a pagan Roman emperor is the larger-than-life bronze statue of Marcus Aurelius, who ruled from 161 to 180 AD.

Housed in the Capitoline Museums in Rome, the statue stands 4.24 meters (13.9 feet) above the ground. Marcus Aurelius, a member of the Antonine dynasty, ruled the Roman Empire at the end of the Pax Romana, a period of 200 years of relative peace. However, persecution of Christians intensified and unrest continued. The Roman army under the command of Marcus Aurelius fought numerous wars on the outskirts of the empire. During his reign, when the Roman army returned home, it is believed that they brought with them the “Antonine Plague,” which caused a major epidemic between 165 and 180 that killed more than 5 million people.

According to the Capitoline Museums, the equestrian statue was most likely erected in 176 AD to commemorate Marcus Aurelius’ victory over the Germanic and Sarmatian tribes in the Marcoman Wars, but it is also possible that it was erected shortly after his death in 180 AD.

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Marcus Aurelius is depicted in a very specific pose called “adrocutio,” with his right arm raised to show that he is in the middle of giving a speech to his troops. However, unlike many other “Adrocutio” sculptures depicting leaders wearing armor and carrying weapons, this equestrian statue shows Marcus from a different perspective. Not wearing military uniform, he is depicted as a peacemaker rather than a victorious general. He also rides a horse without the aid of stirrups, an invention that had not yet been introduced to the West by the equestrian tribes of Central Asia.

At least 20 large bronze equestrian statues, also known as Equi Mani, are known to have adorned public squares in ancient Rome, but none of the other equestrian statues of pagan emperors survive, probably because they were melted down to make coins or other carvings in the late Roman Empire or early Middle Ages.

However, the statue of Marcus Aurelius survived this purge, probably because he was mistaken for Constantine the Great, the Roman emperor who legalized Christianity during his reign from 306 to 337. Both of these emperors are usually depicted with curly hair, but Marcus Aurelius was also famous for having a beard, which represented his intelligence and role as philosopher-king. Marcus’ Meditations, a collection of his personal thoughts on self-improvement and other ideals of Stoic philosophy, is still widely read.

The location of the equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius was first recorded in the 10th century, when historical records listed the statue in the Lateran Palace. The Lateran Palace was originally a Roman structure that later served as the main residence of the Pope for 1,000 years. In the 16th century, the statue was moved to Rome’s Capitoline Hill, and Michelangelo was commissioned to restore it and redesign Piazza del Campidoglio.

Today, the equestrian statue is housed in the Capitoline Museums, and a replica made in 1981 stands in the center of Michelangelo’s Piazzale.

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