Portrait of the emperor Galerius

Portrait of the emperor Galerius from an over life-sized statue.

He is shown beardless with the short hair favoured at the time. The hair is well combed from the crown of the head downward and to the front, framing a broad forehead and the temples and leaving the ears exposed. He wears a stephane (wreath) of oak leaves with the shield-shaped medallion above his forehead (corona civica) usually worn by the Roman emperors, particularly in late Roman times. It is tied at the back of the head with a wide ribbon, the ends of which hang down behind. The face is wide with fleshy, somewhat flabby cheeks and a double chin, indicating a man fairly advanced in age. The rendering of the mouth, with lips closed and drawn down at the corners, suggests fatigue.

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