Bust of Commodus as Hercules
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Bust of Commodus as Hercules

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This sculpture (191–192 AD) depicts Emperor Commodus as Hercules, highlighting his divine status. He wears the Nemean lion’s skin, holds a club, and the golden apples of Hesperides, all Hercules symbols. Made from Lunense marble, it was found in the Horti Lamiani gardens. Originally part of a group with Triton torsos, it celebrated Commodus’s apotheosis but was likely hidden after his death to avoid damnatio memoriae , a Roman practice of erasing a person’s memory.