Rome exhibitions retells story of Emperor Domitian
Rome, Jul 12 (EFE).- An exhibition in Rome explores the love and hate surrounding Roman Emperor Domitian, whose life was erased from history due to his bad reputation.
Domitian ruled the Roman Empire from 81 AD to 96 AD, when he was assassinated in a conspiracy by court officials. His death marked the end of the Flavian dynasty.
Following his assassination, the Senate ordered the erasure of his legacy from the Roman Empire by destroying all statues and works of art dedicated to him.
The emperor’s bad reputation was formed by historians of the time who did not accept his exuberance and plans to change the administration. Domitian was only 30 when he came to power.
Instead, they described him as a tyrant, chiefly emperor who declared himself as “god on earth.”
A selection of 100 artworks including busts, frescoes, marbles and models displayed at Rome’s Capitoline Museums retells the story of Domitian’s turbulent life after new research revealed the emperor was not all how he had been portrayed.
Researchers have found, through epigraphy, that Domitian was instead, an attentive emperor who cared about good administration and was devoted to his people.
“He is a character made of lights and shadows, and this exhibition allows us to explore his life from birth to death,” curator of the exhibition, Massimiliano Munzi, told Efe. EFE
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