Who was Marcus Aurelius? Roman emperor from Gladiator involved in Cleveland Museum of Art intrigue
cleveland.com: Maggie Popkin, the Robson Junior Professor and associate professor of art history, discussed the reality versus fiction of the history of Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, who until recently, served as the centerpiece of the ancient Roman gallery at the Cleveland Museum of Art. “When we look at how Marcus Aurelius presented himself in artworks or how others showed him when honoring him, he appears as a civic political leader when he is dressed in a toga,” Popkin said. “He’s shown as a military leader when he’s dressed in armor or in a military cloak. He’s elevated into a hero when he’s shown in a nude statue.”
