Bust of Commodus as Hercules

This sculpture group features Emperor Commodus as Hercules, adorned with the Nemean lion’s skin, Hesperides’ apples, and a club, symbolizing divine attributes. Crafted from Carrara marble with an alabaster plinth, it was discovered in the horti Lamiani in 1874. The accompanying Triton torsos, in white marble, represent a marine parade celebrating Commodus’s apotheosis, a motif also seen in sarcophagus decoration, linking imperial power with mythology.