Roman Terracotta Panel Fragment - Caesar Augustus

Roman, early Imperial Period, reign of Caesar Augustus, ca. 27 BCE to 14 CE. A mold-formed fragment of a terracotta panel, of either dedicatory or mandatory significance, displaying the inscribed name "CAESAR AUG" along the top line. The name portrayed is an abbreviation of Caesar Augustus (also known as Octavian, born Gaius Octavius Thurinus), the first and arguably the most important emperor in the history of Imperial Rome. The smooth edges and peripheries of the fragment indicate that many copies of panels like this example were created for displaying in multiple well-trafficked areas of the city. Though the inscription is incomplete, one can only wonder what information was being dispersed! Lucite display stand for photography purposes only. Size: 9.9" L x 2.875" W (25.1 cm x 7.3 cm).

Caesar Augustus - his full title being "Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus" - is considered by many to be not only the most important of all the Roman emperors but also the father and founder of the Roman Empire itself. After defeating the armies of Ptolemaic Egypt at the Battle of Actium, Octavian unified the Roman and Egyptian worlds and thus established the groundwork for moving Rome from the Republic period into that of the Imperial. His actions were bolstered through his implementation of a regulated annual system of taxation (as opposed to arbitrary taxation), a renewed respect for religion and traditional gods (many of which were adopted from ancient Greek deities), and the expansion of trading networks across Europe.

Provenance: private Keller collection, Alabama, USA; ex-private Toro collection, Spain, acquired in the 1940s

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#148803
Condition Report: This is a fragment of a larger terracotta panel. Minor chips and abrasions to front, peripheries, and verso, with light softening to some inscribed letters, and light encrustations. Nice earthen deposits throughout.