Roman portrait bust
- Gallery: Room 22
- Culture: Roman; Hellenistic
- Date: 2ndC
- Object type: portrait bust
- Materials: marble
- Museum number: 1805,0703.85
- 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.
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About this object
Before you stands a Roman portrait bust of the blind poet Homer, carved from smooth white marble. His facial features are calm and dignified, with a contemplative expression that suggests deep thought. Greek letters are carved on each side of the bust—though they are worn, they once conveyed a meaningful message. This piece was originally shaped in the Roman Empire, as a copy of an earlier Hellenistic work from about 100 BC. The sculpture was likely part of a group of artworks purchased in 1780 and arrived in Britain after a long and complicated journey by sea. Today, it offers a rare glimpse into how the ancient world honored one of its most revered poets.
See it in person
Roman portrait bust is on display in Room 22 at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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