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Bust of Marcus Aurelius (detail), Roman, AD 160-180. Gold. Site et Musée romains d’Avenches et Musée cantonal d'archéologie et d'histoire, Etat de Vaud Bust of Marcus Aurelius (detail), Roman, AD 160-180. Gold. Site et Musée romains d’Avenches et Musée cantonal d'archéologie et d'histoire, Etat de Vaud

One of the most spectacular archaeological discoveries of recent times is a nearly life-size gold bust of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius found at Aventicum (present-day Avenches, Switzerland), an ancient city built on an earlier Celtic settlement. Made by hammering a single sheet of gold, it blends Roman traditions with that of a local Celtic tribe known as the Helvetii. This exhibition presents the bust together with other objects from the site, providing a view of a provincial capital and the importance of imperial imagery in territories beyond Rome.

Selected Works

View of Avenches, Switzerland, showing the Roman amphitheater of ancient Aventicum. Image: Site et Musée romains d’Avenches, Etat de Vaud. Photo: NVP3D

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