Marble bust discovered in Rhône

A marble bust, 39.5 cm tall, was recovered from the Rhône River near Arles in 2007. It is currently displayed at the Arles Ancient Departmental Museum, where it is labeled as a "presumed bust" due to the absence of an inscription identifying the individual.

Underwater discovery details

The bust was found during an underwater archaeological survey in September-October 2007 by the Department of Underwater and Submerged Archaeological Research. The survey took place near the Trinquetaille neighborhood, and the discovery was made by Luc Long, an Arles-based underwater archaeologist who had previously uncovered a Roman barge in 2004.

Bust's features and materials

The bust is life-sized and well-preserved, missing only part of the nose and the left ear. It is made of marble from Dokimeion, in present-day Turkey. The same survey uncovered a statue of Neptune and statuettes. The bust shows deep wrinkles, a balding forehead, and hair pulled forward, suggesting an aging man.

Identification as Julius Caesar

The discoverers identify the bust as a portrait of Julius Caesar, created around 46 BCE. This is based on comparisons with coins and historical arguments. The French National Library notes that Arles was founded as a colony by the conqueror of Gaul for veterans of the Sixth Legion. The museum dates the sculpture between 50 and 40 BCE.

Debate over the identification

Some specialists question the identification, noting the absence of an inscription and the lack of an obvious resemblance to Caesar's portraits on coins. Some suggest it could be a local notable or a "period face," a portrait where elites imitated Caesar's features. Comparisons with a bust of Caesar found in Tusculum, Italy, showed both similarities and differences in features.

Historical context and significance

Nearly 200 portraits of Caesar are known, all largely posthumous. If the Arles bust was indeed Caesar's, it would have been created during his lifetime, according to Luc Long. The museum acknowledges that many specialists find Caesar's features and a date at the end of the Republic or the beginning of the Empire, but others suggest a "period face."

Institutional debate

The debate has taken a direct turn between institutions, with Claude Sintes, director of the Arles Ancient Museum, responding to German archaeologist Paul Zanker, a supporter of the "period face" theory. Sintes argues that at the time of Caesar, Arles was a small city without very powerful families, making a portrait of Caesar less likely.

Public recognition and exhibitions

The bust was presented to the press in May 2008, and the then Minister of Culture, Christine Albanel, saw it as the oldest known representation of Caesar. In 2009, the exhibition "Caesar, the Rhône for Memory" took place in Arles, presenting the results of 20 years of underwater excavations in the river. The Louvre later hosted "Arles, the Rhône Excavations" from March 9 to June 25, 2012.

Current location and legacy

The bust is currently housed at the Arles Ancient Departmental Museum, where it is deposited by the underwater archaeology service that conducted the 2007 survey. The museum building, designed by Henri Ciriani and opened in 1995, is located on the banks of the river that returned the head. In 2014, the image of the bust appeared on a stamp.