Colossus of Nero

The Colossus of Nero was a colossal statue built during the time of emperor Nero that was placed at the entrance area to his private palatial grounds, the Domus Aurea.

The statue was designed and built by the Greek architect, Zenodorus Mercurius between AD 64 – AD 68. It is said that the statue was 99ft (30m) tall, with some estimates putting its height at 121ft (37m).

Suetonius gives it a height of 120ft in his book, The Lives of the Caesars – the Life of Nero, XXXI, while describing the Domus Aurea:

“Its size and splendor will be sufficiently indicated by the following details. Its vestibule was large enough to contain a colossal statue of the emperor a hundred and twenty feet high.”

Pliny the Elder describes the pre-eminent architect Zenodorus’ work, while also describing the early fate of the statue (which was completed either at the end of Nero’s reign or at the start of Vespasian’s) in his book, The Natural History, Book XXIV, XVIII:

“But all these gigantic statues of this kind have been surpassed in our own age by that of Mercury, made by Zenodorus for the city of the Arverni in Gaul…… Having given sufficient proof there of his artistic skill, he was sent for by Nero to Rome, where he made a colossal statue intended to represent that prince, one hundred and ten feet in height. In consequence, however, of the public detestation of Nero’s crimes, this statue was consecrated to the Sun. We used to admire in his studio, not only the accurate likeness in the model of clay, but in the small sketches16 also, which served as the first foundation of the work. This statue proves that the art of fusing [precious] brass was then lost, for Nero was prepared to furnish the requisite gold and silver, and Zenodorus was inferior to none of the ancients, either as a designer or as an engraver.”

The statue was dedicated to the sun god Sol, during the reign of Vespasian, meaning that some work would have been done to the statue to remove the likeness of Nero. It is said that perhaps a sun crown or sun rays were added to the statue. Suetonius mentions some repair work (possibly alterations?) being done to the statue soon after his accession to the throne in his Life of Vespasian, XVIII:

“He also presented eminent poets with princely largess​ and great rewards, and artists, too, such as the restorer of the Venus of Cos​ and of the Colossus.​”

In the late AD 120s, emperor Hadrian (in between his tours of different parts of the empire) was in Rome, where he put on games and events at the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus. He also used this time to repair a number of buildings, including the Pantheon.

He also moved the colossal statue from the area of the Domus Aurea to beside the Colosseum (which sits on the old palatial grounds of Nero where Nero once had a large, private lake). You can also see it on the map here.

In Historia Augusta – the Life of Hadrian, XIX, it states that the Colossus needed to be “raised”. As there is no record of the statue being brought down during this period or before, it is assumed that by ‘raising’ it just means that it was lifted from its position. The text goes into some detail about the logistical challenges of moving such a huge monument:

“With the aid of the architect Decrianus he raised the Colossus​ and, keeping it in an upright position, moved it away from the place in which the Temple of Rome is now, though its weight was so vast that he had to furnish for the work as many as twenty-four elephants. This statue he then consecrated to the Sun, after removing the features of Nero, to whom it had previously been dedicated.”

The monument was moved so room could be made for Hadrian to build a grand temple. Due to the new location of the statue (next to the Flavian Amphitheater), some have suggested that this is how the Colosseum got its name.

The last known changes were made by emperor Commodus, but they were only temporary, so despised was the emperor. According to Historia Augusta – the Life of Commodus, XVII:

“He made certain additions to the Colossus by way of ornamentation, all of which were later taken off, and he also removed its head, which was a likeness of Nero, and replaced it by a likeness of himself.”

We are unsure of when the monument was destroyed, with a mention of it in the Chronography of 354. The most likely scenario is that it was destroyed in one of the sacks of Rome. The Sack of Rome in AD 410 seems likely as it was the first sack in 800 years. Due to its size and what it was made out of, it would have been an easy target. Others have suggested it was brought down by earthquakes.

Some claim that the statue survived into the middle-ages (which would have been absolutely extraordinary given the times and considering how valuable the material was.). This is claimed because of a poem written by 6^th – 7^th century historian Bede, suggests that the Colossus was still standing at that time:

“As long as the Colossus stands, Rome will stand,
when the Colossus falls, Rome will fall,
when Rome falls, so falls the world.”

However, I look at this poem and think that he is looking back in time when the statue was still standing. When the statue fell, that is when Rome itself fell. It could literally be talking about the Sack of Rome itself. The sack of the eternal city sent shockwaves around the known world, with many likening it to the end of the world, such was the impact this ancient civilization had on the rest of the world.

All that remains of the statue is the foundation block, where it once stood next to the Colosseum.

Sources:

Pliny the Elder – Perseus Digital Library – https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137%3Abook%3D34%3Achapter%3D18#note-link13

Suetonius – The Twelve Caesars Bill Thayer – https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Nero*.html#ref91

Historia Augusta – Bill Thayer – https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Historia_Augusta/Hadrian/2*.html#ref165

Cassius Dio – Roman History – Bill Thayer – https://penelope.uchicago.edu/thayer/e/roman/texts/cassius_dio/65*.html

Featured image – Public domain