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General of Tivoli

General of Tivoli is a Roman marble sculpture, 118 cm high, dating from between 90 and 70 BC. It is currently preserved in the National Roman Museum at Palazzo Massimo in Rome. The statue was discovered in 1925 among the ruins of the Temple of Hercules in Tivoli. It belongs to the Italic realist tradition of the Republican period, portraying a mature man with deep facial wrinkles in heroic nudity. The figure represents a Roman army general draped in a mantle and supported by a cuirass at his feet, decorated with a Gorgoneion. The work combines Italic verism with late Hellenistic stylistic features.

General of Tivoli marble statue of a draped male figure beside a small support, shown against a black background.
General of Tivoli, a marble statue of a draped male figure with a small support beside him.
January 2010 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
The General of Tivoli, a damaged white marble statue of a male figure with a broken head and missing upper arms, draped with a cloak against a green wall.
The General of Tivoli shown as a damaged white marble statue with a draped cloak and surviving torso.
June 2014 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
The General of Tivoli sculpture, a weathered stone figure with a missing head and right arm, draped across the body on a rectangular base.
The General of Tivoli, shown as an incomplete stone statue with draped fabric and a dark green backdrop.
June 2014 © · CC BY-SA 2.0
The General of Tivoli marble sculpture, showing a shirtless male torso with draped cloth and missing right arm and lower right leg.
The General of Tivoli, a partially preserved marble statue displayed on a dark pedestal.
November 2024 © · CC0
Detail of the General of Tivoli showing a carved face and draped fabric on the marble support beside a muscular leg.
Close-up detail of the General of Tivoli, with a carved face and draped folds on the marble support.
November 2013 © · CC BY-SA 4.0

Identification

TitleGeneral of Tivoli
Original titleGenerale da Tivoli
TypeStatue
SubjectA Roman army general

Historical context

DateBetween 90 and 70 BC
PeriodRepublican era

Creator

Interpretation by Henri StierlinThe statue may represent the consul Caius Marius, founder of the Temple of Hercules Victor at Tivoli

Discovery and provenance

Discovery date1925
Discovery locationAmong the ruins of the Temple of Hercules in Tivoli

Physical characteristics

Height188 cm
ConditionMissing the upper part of the head, the right shoulder and arm, and the right leg below the knee

Materials

MaterialMarble

Technique

Stylistic traditionItalican realist current of the Republican period combined with late Hellenistic currents

Appearance

Figure typeHeroized figure
Pose and clothingWrapped in a toga or mantle descending from the left shoulder to the hips
Support elementSupported by a cuirass placed at his feet
Armor decorationGorgoneion at the center
Possible original attributeProbably leaning on a spear held in the right hand
Facial expressionDeep wrinkles on the forehead, small sunken eyes, open mouth
Head positionSlightly inclined toward the right shoulder
Body typePowerful musculature
Character conveyedExtremely strong and resolute

Location and ownership

Current locationNational Roman Museum, Palazzo Massimo, Rome