Campana plaque depicting the fight between gladiators and wild animals in the Circus Maximus
Painted terracotta.1st cent. CE.
H. 52.1 cm, W. 52 cm, D. 2.5—3 cm. Inv. No. 62660.Rome, Roman National Museum, Baths of DiocletianPhoto by Vincenzo Pirozzi
Campana plaque depicting the fight between gladiators and wild animals in the Circus Maximus.
Painted terracotta.
1st cent. CE.
H. 52.1 cm, W. 52 cm, D. 2.5—3 cm.
1st cent. CE.
H. 52.1 cm, W. 52 cm, D. 2.5—3 cm.
Inv. No. 62660.
Rome, Roman National Museum, Baths of Diocletian
(Roma, Museo nazionale romano, Terme di Diocleziano).
Origin:
Acquired in 1913-14, from the Kircherian Museum. This museum’s
collection was never fully published. From 1887 onwards most of its collection
was moved to the Museo Nazionale Romano.
collection was never fully published. From 1887 onwards most of its collection
was moved to the Museo Nazionale Romano.
Description:
The contests that took place in the Colosseum and other arenas were highly popular with the public, and frequently served as subject matter in the arts. An example is depicted on a Campana relief (a type of terracotta relief named for the man who first studied them; fig. 5.8) that depicts a gladiator in the center being attacked by a panther and a lion, springing toward him from each side. A companion lies dead or dying at the right, and a third man is spearing the lion. All of this takes place within the Circus Maximus, a long narrow race course, as shown by the egg-like shapes on a structure in the middle that were used to count the number of times the chariots made the circuit; in fact the plaque could just as well have represented a hunt or gladiatorial fight in an arena like the Colosseum. Spectators are eagerly watching from the stands at top left. A statue atop a column completes the scene at right. Such reliefs give us a lively view of the kind of entertainment that was an important component of Roman daily life.
Credits:
© 2005. Photo, description: N. H. Ramage, A. Ramage. Roman Art. Pearson Prentice Hall, New Jersey, 2005. P. 162, ill. 5.8.
© Photo: Vincenzo Pirozzi.
© 2021. Add. information: https://www.britishmuseum.org.
© Photo: Vincenzo Pirozzi.
© 2021. Add. information: https://www.britishmuseum.org.
Keywords: γλυπτική sculptura sculpture sculptural scultura skulptur ρωμαϊκό roman romana romano romani römisch römische römisches römischen römischer romain romaine romains romaines decorativo decorativa decorativi decorative dekorativ décoratif ornemental ανακούφιση relief rilievo terracotta clay argilla terrakotta terrakotte ton terre cuite argile campana tiles tile reliefs revetment tablet tablets plate plates lastre lastra rilievi campanareliefs campanaplatten plaque plaques revêtement de male footwear footgear calzatura maschile männerschuhe chaussures pour hommes ανδρικά παπούτσια ensis sword spada schwert épée ξίφος σπαθί corona wreath kranz couronne crista crest crested helmet elmo crestato kammhelm casque à crête κράνος λοφίο κρωβύλος κρώβυλος leo lion leone löwe λιοντάρι tunica tunic tunika tunique hasta spear lancia speer lance δόρυ palmette palmetta columna column colonna kolonne säule colonne κολόνα στύλος panthera panther pantera panthère πάνθηρα belt cintura cingolo gurt gürtel ceinture ζώνη colored coloured painted coloration dipinta colorazione färben färbung farbige colorée χρωματιστό γλυπτό ordo corinthius corinthian order capital ordine corinzio capitello korinthische ordnung kapitell kapitäl säulenknauf ordre corinthien chapiteau κορινθιακός ρυθμός κιονόκρανο statue statua άγαλμα circus circo wounded ferito verwundeter blessé τραυματισμένο gladiator gladiators gladiatore gladiatori gladiatoren gladiateur gladiateurs μονομάχος μονομάχοι gladiatorial da gladiatorenhelm helm manica armguard waffe rectangular shield scudo rettangolare del rechteckiger schild des bouclier rectangulaire du venatio venationes tierhetze spectator spectators spettatore spettatori zuschauer spectateur spectateurs seven eggs lap-counter sette uova sieben eier sept œufs inv no 62660
