Another gold bust, this time from Switzerland

Some time ago, I wrote about a gold bust of Septimius Severus discovered in Plotinopolis, some 20 km north of Thracian Greece (see: A solid gold bust of Septimius Severus). 

I thought the find was pretty unique, but the Getty Villa just opened a special exhibition around a nearly life-size gold bust of Marcus Aurelius (see: the gold emperor of Aventicum published online in 2023). 

The bust is not made of solid gold like Septimius Severus’ but is hammered from a single sheet of gold. The gold bust was retrieved from an ancient sewage pipe in 1939. It was probably hidden there during a Germanic invasion in the 3^rd century AD. 

Interestingly, the discovery was made at Aventicum, modern Avenches, in Switzerland. The Romans occupied Switzerland as they expanded their empire over the Alps. Julius Cesar defeated the local Helvetii tribe in 58 BC, and soon their land became a Roman Province. 

Aventicum, located between Lausanne and Berne, was built on the site of this Celtic settlement and prospered during the first three centuries AD. In its heyday, it counted as many as 20,000 people, who became Roman citizens assimilating Roman culture. 

The treasures of ancient Aventicum are kept in the Avenches Roman Museum, occupying a medieval tower from the 12^th century near the amphitheater. 

This amphitheater from the early 2^nd century AD could seat 16,000 spectators. It was partially built of stone, i.e., the walls, stairs, and central entrance, but the seating area was made of wood. When it fell into disuse in the 4^th century, the building served as a stone quarry. 

The Roman vestiges counted more imposing monuments, including a theater, a temple where the bust was found, and the Thermal Baths of the Forum. Another striking feature is the Tornallaz, the only tower remaining from the initial 73 of the Roman city walls. This wall was 5.5 kilometers long and counted four gates. 

The gold bust of Marcus Aurelius was found under a temple situated at the center of a large courtyard framed with a Stoa on all sides. According to the available inscriptions, the temple was dedicated to Celtic gods as well as the ruling Roman emperor! 

The museum holds an impressive collection of artifacts such as mosaics and friezes, but also portrait sculptures recovered from the sanctuaries and the public monuments. 

A selection of artifacts, including the gold bust of Marcus Aurelius, is presently exhibited at the Getty Villa in Malibu, California till January 29, 2024. 

[Both pictures are taken from the Getty Villa exhibition link]

A solid gold bust of Septimius Severus

Gold, like bronze and silver, is a commodity that over the centuries was melted down time and again by whoever possessed the precious mineral and wanted to transform it for his own use. This is why large bronze statues are so rare and the examples we have in our museums these days generally come from underwater archaeology where they were hidden from view. Large gold objects are even more rare.

[Picture from Gareth Harney on Twitter]

This brings me to this solid bust of Emperor Septimius Severus made end 2^nd/beginning 3^rd century AD. It was found in 1965 among the ruins of ancient Plotinopolis, a city founded in the early 2^nd century by Emperor Trajan who named it after his wife Pompeia Plotina. Plotinopolis was actually built on top of the Thracian and Hellenistic town of Didymoteicho which the Romans sacked in 204 BC.

The city was ideally located on the banks of the Bulgarian Maritsa River that becomes the Evros River when it enters eastern Greece. The surrounding plain was very fertile and controlled a branch of the Via Egnatia.

Today Plotinopolis is called Kale after the Turkish word for castle as it lies south of Edirne, Turkey although only 20 km north of Soufli in the Thracian Province of Greece.

The magnificent gold bust of Septimius Severus can be admired at the Archaeological Museum of nearby Komotini – certainly worth the detour!