This life-sized marble bust of Roman Emperor Lucius Verus is located in the British Museum which does not charge an admission fee...and does allow non-flash photography. The Museum's website (
visit link) informs us:
"Object types
portrait bust (scope note | all objects)
Materials
marble (all objects)
Place (findspot)
Excavated/Findspot Rome (all objects)
(Europe,Italy,Lazio,Rome (province),Rome)
Date
161-170 (circa)
Period/Culture
Roman (scope note | all objects)
Description
Marble bust of the emperor Lucius Verus.
Dimensions
Height: 37 inches
Curator's comments
This portrait appears to have marked the joint rule of Lucius Verus with Marcus Aurelius.
Associated names
Portrait of Lucius Verus (biographical details | all objects
Acquisition date
1805
Acquisition name
Purchased from Charles Townley (biographical details | all objects)
Previous owner/ex-collection Papal Collections"
Wikipedia (
visit link) informs us that Lucius Verus "...(130 – 169), was Roman co-emperor with Marcus Aurelius, from 161 until his death...
Lucius Verus was the first born son to Avidia Plautia and Lucius Aelius Verus Caesar, the first adopted son and heir of Roman Emperor Hadrian (76–138). He was born and raised in Rome. Verus had another brother Gaius Avidius Ceionius Commodus and two sisters Ceionia Fabia and Ceionia Plautia. His maternal grandparents were the Roman Senator Gaius Avidius Nigrinus and the unattested noblewoman Ignota Plautia. Although his adoptive paternal grandparents were the Roman Emperor Hadrian and Roman Empress Vibia Sabina, his biological paternal grandparents were the consul Lucius Ceionius Commodus and noblewoman Aelia or Fundania Plautia.
When his father died in early 138, Hadrian chose Antoninus Pius (86–161) as his successor. Antoninus was adopted by Hadrian on the condition that Verus and Hadrian’s great-nephew Marcus Aurelius was to be adopted by Antoninus as his sons and heirs.
As a prince and future emperor Verus, received careful education from the famous “grammaticus” Marcus Cornelius Fronto. He was reported to have been an excellent student, fond of writing poetry and delivering speeches. Verus started his political career as a quaestor in 153, became consul in 154, and in 161 was consul again with Marcus Aurelius as his senior partner."