Augustus Prima Porta – 3D MODEL

The Augustus of Prima Porta is a 2.03-meter-high marble statue portraying the first Roman emperor, Augustus, located in the Vatican Museums. Discovered in 1863 during excavations at the Villa of Livia in Prima Porta, Italy, the statue derives its name from the town where it was unearthed.

The statue conveys a message of Augustus as a powerful, victorious warrior, a deity, and a champion of Roman religion. It also communicates several other themes, including Augustus’ connection to the past, his role as the harbinger of Roman peace, his divine association, and his triumph over the Parthians.

The statue’s iconography features a cupid riding a dolphin at Augustus’ right leg, along with various gods such as Caelus, Aurora, Luna/Selene, Diana/Artemis, Ceres/Tellus, Apollo, and Sol/Helios, symbolizing the continuum of events.

Sphinxes adorn each shoulder, symbolizing Augustus’ victory over Cleopatra. The statue belongs to the Prima Porta-type style, introduced around 27 BCE to visually represent the title, “Augustus”. Predominantly, the statue’s colors are bright red for the cloak and tunic, accented with blue, with reliefs on the breastplate in the same hues.

Despite wearing military attire, Augustus’ bare feet suggest his divinity. One of our sculptors from the Hephaisteion has fixed cracks in one arm, minor imperfections on the face and legs, and has restored the imperial staff that rests in one of his arms. Originally, this statue carried a sword in the raised arm, which was replaced by a hand now pointing to the horizon