Head of Poseidon 2

3D Model

A Roman Masterpiece from the 2nd Century This marble head of Poseidon, the powerful sea god, was discovered in the theater of Ephesus in 1897. Its body, found thirty years earlier by British excavators and taken to London, was later matched to the head thanks to the exchange of plaster casts. Poseidon is depicted holding a trident and a dolphin, following the well-known “Lateran type” design, attributed to the famous Greek sculptor Lysippos.

Currently housed in the Ephesos Museum in Vienna’s Neue Burg, this sculpture exemplifies the skill and artistic tradition of the Roman Middle Imperial period. The marble, fine-grained and white, captures the god’s imposing presence. The piece is part of the museum’s collection, acquired through Austrian excavations in Ephesus and gifted to Emperor Franz Joseph by Sultan Abdul Hamid II.

Object: Head of Poseidon Location: Ephesos Museum, Vienna Material: Marble Period: 2nd century AD