By the third century AD, Helios had absorbed a number of religious, mythological, and literary elements from other deities, particularly Apollo and the Roman sun god, Sol. In 274 AD, on the 25th of December, the date of the Winter Solstice, the Roman emperor Aurelian instituted an official state cult to Sol Invictus (or Helios Megistos). This new cult combined elements from not only Helios and Sol, but also from deities such as Mithras and Harpocrates, and even with the monotheistic Judaeo-Christian god. This elevated Helios as the main god, protector of Rome and the Roman state, with the last pagan emperor of Rome, Julian, making Helios the main deity of his revived pagan religion.
Roman Provincial Bronze Statuette of Mercury
$672.05
Romano-Egyptian Terracotta Head of Harpocrates
$196.86
Roman Bronze Statuette of Helios-Apollo
$4,955.54
A fine Roman statuette of Helios-Apollo cast from bronze. The deity is depicted heroically nude, apart from a mantle pinned at the right shoulder and wrapped around his bent left arm. He wears a diadem with radiating spikes to represent beams of light on top of his luxuriant curls. He is portrayed standing in a contrapposto pose, with his left knee bent and right arm raised, on top of an ivy-leaf base. The finger and toe detailing, musculature and the pleats of the fabric have been carefully rendered through linear incisions. His facial features are soft and rounded. To the back of the statuette, there is a mounting stud. The statuette has been mounted on to a custom-made stand.
Out of stock
Additional information
| Weight | 579 g |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6.4 × 6.4 × 17.5 cm |
| Culture | Ancient Roman |
| Region | Southern Europe |
| Metal | Bronze |
