Statuette of Nero
- Gallery: Room 49
- Culture: Romano-British
- Date: 1stC
- Object type: statuette
- Materials: copper alloy; copper; silver
- Museum number: 1813,0213.1
- 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
This is a bronze statuette of Nero, the fifth Roman emperor, portrayed in the style of Alexander the Great. The figure stands with one leg raised, as if poised to step forward, and once held a spear or sceptre in its right hand. The emperor’s attire is richly detailed: the cuirass is decorated with inlaid silver and niello patterns, and his boots, short tunic, and imposing stance reflect imperial grandeur.
The face is full and plump, with upstanding hair and subtly expressive features. Although the inlaid eyes and other original details are missing, Nero’s likeness is unmistakable when compared to coins and other official portraits of the time. The upward gaze echoes those of Alexander, a legendary leader revered even in Roman times.
Notably, the statuette is hollow-cast and made using a combination of copper alloy, silver, and copper plating. Its high quality suggests it may have been crafted in Gaul and later introduced to Roman Britain. Created in the 1st century AD, it offers a rare glimpse into how an emperor might be idealized and displayed during the Roman period.
See it in person
Statuette of Nero is on display in Room 49 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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