RELIEF ON THE CUIRASS OF THE AUGUSTUS OF PRIMA PORTA, 14-29 CE. VATICAN MUSEUMS This famous statue was found in the villa of Livia at Prima Porta north of Rome on 1863. It probably dates from between Augustus' death and deification in 14 CE and Livia's death in 29. The reliefs on the emperor's lorica musculata or "muscled breastplate" show a Parthian king returning the standards lost by Crassus in 53 B.C. at the battle of Carrhae to a Roman officer, probably Tiberius. At both sides are figures representing two provinces of the empire. The whole scene is inserted into a cosmic landscape. At the top we can see the personification of the heavens in the centre, with the chariots of Helios and Aurora alongside. Just below the nipples we see Apollo on a griffin and Diana on the back of a hind and, at bottom centre, just below the navel of the cuirass, is the goddess Tellus, the Earth.

For #ReliefWednesday, the #cuirass of the #Augustus of #PrimaPorta, now in the #VaticanMuseums. On the emperor's chest is a scene in the heavens, while the central relief on his abdomen shows a #Parthian king returning #Roman standards lost by #Crassus at #Carrhae in 53 BCE. #AncientBluesky 🏺

GARDEN FRESCO, EARLY C1 CE. MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO NAZIONALE DI NAPOLI This fresco is so similar to the famous garden fresco of the Villa of Livia at Prima Porta that it must share a similar date, and, conceivably, the same artist or artists. Its origin is given as Pompeii or Herculaneum. It has a similar purpose to that of Livia's fresco: to push the visual boundaries of the room beyond the walls and into a fictive visual space. Against a (social-media-relevant) blue sky, a fruit tree grows at centre, with quinces or apples hanging from its branches in abundance. A magnificent wild bird is perched under it, on the painted wicker fence that would have surrounded the room, and other plants with blossoms and stalks on either side of the tree give a sense of abundance.

For #FrescoFriday, a paradise-like garden #fresco looks as if it's waiting for us to step into its warm and fecund greenery. From #Pompeii or #Herculaneum via #Naples, it strongly resembles the triclinium decoration of the Villa of #Livia at #PrimaPorta north of #Rome.