equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius

The equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius is a large ancient Roman bronze representing the emperor on horseback, widely recognised as one of the masterpieces of Roman sculpture. It is dated to the Roman Imperial period, commonly attributed to the 2nd century AD.

The original bronze survived antiquity and the Middle Ages and today is preserved inside the Capitoline Museums, while a replica stands in the centre of Piazza del Campidoglio on Capitoline Hill in Rome. The statue is notable both for its artistic quality and for being one of the very few full-size bronze equestrian portraits to survive from antiquity.

The statue was placed at the centre of the piazza during the Renaissance as part of Michelangelo’s urban redesign of the Capitoline Hill; that relocated display has been the public landmark seen by visitors in the square for centuries.

• Date and rarity: The statue dates to the Roman Imperial period, commonly attributed to the 2nd century AD, and is one of the very few surviving bronze equestrian statues from antiquity.
• Renaissance relocation and preservation: The mounted image was placed at the centre of Michelangelo's redesigned Piazza del Campidoglio in the 16th century; the original bronze is kept indoors for preservation.

What to See #

• Original in Capitoline Museums: The original bronze equestrian statue, conserved and displayed inside the Capitoline Museums to protect it from weathering and preserve the ancient metalwork.
• Replica on the Capitoline Hill: A faithful bronze replica stands in the centre of Piazza del Campidoglio on the Capitoline Hill, the public location where visitors see the horse-and-rider composition today.