3-045-193 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Bust of Germanicus, A.D. 20-40. Additional Info: The bust depicts the young Germanicus before the depositio barbae, the Roman ritual first shaving of the beard. While the image, or portrait type, was created at the time of his adoption by Tiberius in A.D. 4, this bust is a posthumous portrait of the popular general, who was being groomed to be emperor but died young. Ten copies are known today of Germanicus' Adoption Type portrait, identified by the facial features and careful arrangement of the locks over the forehead. Germanicus (15 B.C.-A.D. 19) was a successful general and immensely popular with both the military and Roman citizenry, yet he never ascended the throne due to his death at the age of 33, five years into Tiberius' reign. Germanicus received extensive posthumous honors and was venerated as Rome's version of Alexander the Great.