Bust of Perikles
- Audio guide stop: 236
- Gallery: Room 15
- Culture: Roman
- Date: 2ndC
- Object type: portrait bust
- Materials: marble
- Museum number: 1805,0703.91
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is a marble portrait bust of Pericles, crafted by Roman artisans in the second century. The figure wears a helmet pushed back on his head, a detail that highlights his identity as a celebrated Athenian statesman and general. This artwork is a Roman copy of an earlier Greek original, and the figure’s name is inscribed in Greek on the base, reading “Perikles.”
The piece has a rich history. It was discovered in 1780 during an excavation in Tivoli, sponsored by Pope Pius VI. The Roman style reflects a deep admiration for Greek culture and leadership. Pericles, known for his role in the Athenian Golden Age, appears here with the confident expression that once graced the Acropolis.
This Roman copy was among the many antiquities admired and preserved for future generations, and it remains a testament to the enduring legacy of classical art.
See it in person
Bust of Perikles is on display in Room 15 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and type its audio guide stop number, 236, from the gallery label, or take a photo of it, to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
New, in beta. British Museum support has just launched and is still improving: over 1,000 objects so far, with more added all the time.
