The Meroë Head of Augustus

Once forming part of a statue of Rome’s revered first true emperor, the head was violently separated from the body and carried away in triumph by ancient tribesmen shortly after its creation. For nearly two millennia it remained buried in front of a temple in their capital city of Meroe. The head, recovered in 1910 and remarkably well preserved, is one of the British Museum’s most treasured objects. This concise and attractively illustrated book tells the story of this striking work of art and its intriguing historical context, revealing the significance of the head in the light of Augustus’ rise to power and the role of portraits in the Roman world.