Colossus of Constantine Monument

The Colossus of Constantine refers to the monumental seated statue of Emperor Constantine the Great from early 4th-century Rome, known today mainly from surviving fragments. The remnants are among the most famous examples of late Roman imperial sculpture.

Fragments of the original statue - notably a monumental head and large hand and foot - can be seen in museum or archaeological settings in Rome as part of collections illustrating late antique imperial art. The scale of the surviving pieces conveys the original statue’s enormous dimensions.

The statue was created in the early 4th century as an imperial representation of Constantine and originally stood in the Basilica of Maxentius (sometimes called the Basilica Nova) in the Roman Forum area. Only fragmentary marble and porphyry elements have survived and they were preserved and later displayed in Rome’s museums.

The original statue stood in the imperial complex near the Roman Forum and the Palatine; surviving fragments are exhibited in Rome’s museum collections and archaeological sites.

• Date and original context: The statue dates from the early 4th century AD and originally functioned as a monumental imperial image in a large public basilica.

What to See#

• Surviving statue fragments: Surviving fragments of a colossal seated statue including a monumental head and hand are on display in museum settings in Rome.

The surviving fragments of the Colossus of Constantine are displayed in the Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini) on Capitoline Hill in central Rome. The museum complex overlooks the Roman Forum.

From the Colosseo Metro station (Line B) it is about a 10-15 minute walk up Via dei Fori Imperiali and the steps to the Capitoline; from Cavour station (also Line B) the walk is roughly 10 minutes. Numerous city buses also stop along Via dei Fori Imperiali close to the museums.

• Start early at the Roman Forum and the Basilica of Maxentius to see the Colossus fragments in situ before the midday crowds arrive.
• Combine your archaeological-site visit with a stop at the Capitoline Museums-some of the surviving pieces of the Colossus (notably the head and hand) are displayed in the Capitoline collections, so you may need both site and museum entries to view all major fragments.
• Approach the fragments from the Via Sacra/Forum pathways rather than from the Colosseum side for closer viewing angles and better context with the basilica ruins.