Caligula is represented here as a victorious general—the triumphant “imperator,” but in fact, he did not win any wars for Rome. His lack of military success and prowess alienated him from the army, and without its support, his rule became increasingly insecure. He was assassinated in Rome when aged only twenty-eight.
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Title:Onyx cameo of the emperor Gaius (Caligula)
Period:Early Imperial, Julio-Claudian
Date:ca. 37–43 CE
Culture:Roman
Medium:Onyx
Dimensions:Overall: 1 11/16 x 1 1/4 x 9/16in. (4.3 x 3.1 x 1.5cm)
Classification:Gems
Credit Line:Rogers Fund, 1911
Object Number:11.195.7
[Until 1911, with Paul Hartwig, Rome]; acquired in 1911, purchased from P. Hartwig.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 1920. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style. no. 331, pp. 162–63, pl. 73, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 1948. Roman Portraits, 2nd edn. no. 38, p. iii, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 1949. "Glyptic Portraits of the late Republic and early Empire in the Metropolitan Museum." Hommages à Joseph Bidez et à Franz Cumont. p. 301, Brussels: Latomus, revue d'études latines.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 1956. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. no. 651, p. 131, pl. 74, Rome: L'Erma di Bretschneider.
Megow, Wolf-Rüdiger. 1987. Kameen von Augustus bis Alexander Severus, Antike Münzen und geschnittene Steine, XI, Deutsches Archaologisches Institut, ed. no. A 62, p. 186, pl. 15.1, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter & Co.
Varner, Eric R. 2000. From Caligula to Constantine: Tyranny and Transformation in Roman Portraiture no. 13, pp. 112–13, Atlanta: Michael C. Carlos Museum, Emory University.
Richter, Gisela M. A. 2006[1956]. Catalogue of Engraved Gems of the Classical Style: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman, 2nd edn. no. 651, p. 131, pl. 74, color pl. 22, Rome: L'Erma di Bretschneider.
Draper, James David. 2008. "Cameo Appearances." Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 65(4): p. 14, fig. 20.
von den Hoff, Ralf. 2009. "Caligula. zur visuellen reprasentation eines romischen kaisers." Archäologischer Anzeiger, : p. 255, pl. 13.
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The Museum's collection of Greek and Roman art comprises more than 30,000 works ranging in date from the Neolithic period to the time of the Roman emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity in A.D. 312.