Uploaded August 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
It’s A.D. 61, Emperor Nero rules over the Roman Empire. In the east of the province of Britannia, the head of a bronze statue ends up in a muddy river. Who put it there and why? How do we solve the mystery of this Roman head in the river?
Curator Thorsten Opper tells us what clues to look out for when faced with a Roman portrait and explains how to envision the whole object from studying only a part. Put yourself in the shoes of a citizen of Roman Britannia, and explore how they might have viewed such a statue of the emperor, Nero.
This bronze head of emperor Nero is currently on display in the exhibition Nero: The man behind the myth at the British Museum, and you can book tickets to see it in the flesh here: bit.ly/2Xf39U9
It’s A.D. 61, Emperor Nero rules over the Roman Empire. In the east of the province of Britannia, the head of a bronze statue ends up in a muddy river. Who put it there and why? How do we solve the mystery of this Roman head in the river?
Curator Thorsten Opper tells us what clues to look out for when faced with a Roman portrait and explains how to envision the whole object from studying only a part. Put yourself in the shoes of a citizen of Roman Britannia, and explore how they might have viewed such a statue of the emperor, Nero.
This bronze head of emperor Nero is currently on display in the exhibition Nero: The man behind the myth at the British Museum, and you can book tickets to see it in the flesh here: bit.ly/2Xf39U9
