Roman
A Romano-Celtic bronze horse and rider, circa 1st - 2nd century AD
Bronze
Height: 5.5 cm excluding base
The horse is shown moving forwards with its right foreleg raised. The rider has his right arm raised and his left held out to the side. The details of the...
The horse is shown moving forwards with its right foreleg raised. The rider has his right arm raised and his left held out to the side. The details of the horse and rider are incised. Set on an ancient but probably not belonging base.
Provenance
UK private collection, Chichester, acquired before 2000Literature
The most recognisable and influential image of an equestrian subject in the Greek world was that of Alexander the Great astride his horse Bucephalus. Later equestrian statues of Roman emperors and victorious generals all took Alexander as their model and images of Romano-Celtic rider-gods, possibly associated with the Roman god of war Mars, use similar iconography as seen on equestrian statues of emperors. There are a number of such rider statuettes from Roman Britain, presumably votive offerings to a deity.