A figure might wear a cuirass in order to display military prowess and strength. We can see that the torso is idealized, which is reflective of the style in that period. The drapery around the figure may be the wearer's attempt to relate with the patrician class as well as the Roman senate. He wants to be seen as not just a military man, but also a dutiful Roman citizen.
After Augustus (reigned 27 B.C.E.-14 C.E.) consolidated Roman power and established what became known as the Roman Empire, he attempted to re-create te grandeur of Classical Athens in Rome. In his monuments, Augustus copied timeless Greek models with ideal forms. This portrait of Augustus combines the elements of an individualized likeness with the smooth, youthful appearance of a god. (Walters Art Museum.)
All of Augustus' portraiture, throughout his life, portrayed him as the youthful man he was when he took the title of emperor. Through this, he tried to convey his longevity, assuring the people that he would be around for a long time to rule them. He wanted his people to have faith in him, and so gave them a sense of security through his portraiture.
The name of the deceased, Novia Clara, appears on the front of this urn. The two handles are each in the form of a mask of Zeus-Ammon, the Hellenistic version of the powerful Egyptian god Amen, whose ram-horns curl around his ears. The lid preserves the lead clamps used to secure it to the vase. (The base and the finial are restored. (Walter's Art Museum.)
Funerary art was an immensely important part of Roman culture. Through this depiction of the mask of Zeus-Ammon, the deceased may have been trying to indicate their power in their society. They could also be communicated their knowledge of traditional Greek mythology, which was looked upon with favor in the Roman culture.
The triumphal march of Dionysus (or Bacchus, as he was generally known in Rome) through the lands of India was equated in Roman thought with the triumph of the deceased over death. At the left, Dionysus rides in a chariot pulled by panthers. Preceding him is a procession of his followers and exotic animals, including lions, elephants, and even a giraffe. A bird's nest hides in the tree at the far right, which is also climbed by a lizard pursued by a snake. Many of the animals depicted had special significance in the mystery cult of Dionysus Sabazius. On the lid is the birth of Dionysus and his reception by nymphs, shown between satyr heads (on the ends), one smiling and one frowning. The enormous attention to detail on this sarcophagus exemplifies the talents of the best Roman relief artists. (Walters Art Museum.)
Through all of this detailed depiction of mythology, we can assume the deceased was well educated in greek mythology and philosophy, and so was undoubtedly of the patrician class. Here he likely wanted to convey his knowledge and status, and also to point out, thorugh the use of the mythological figure Dionysus, that he would retain himself and ultimately conquer death.
Hermaphroditus was a half-male, half female deity who was the child of the messenger-god Hermes and Aphrodite, goddess of love. A favorite subject of Hellenistic and Roman artists, he was depicted with breasts, male genitals, and a voluptuous body. Images of Hermaphroditus were place in gymnasia, bachs, theaters, and homes. The small size of this example suggests that it was made as a decorative object or for a household shrine. (Walters Art Museum.)
