Colossal Constantine

Head and hand from the statue of Constantine I

Marble foot from statue of Constantine I

When entering the Capitoline Museums the first historical artifact to catch your eye is the Colossal Statue of Constantine I. It is, in fact, quite impossible to miss. Located in the courtyard of the Pallazo Dei Conservatori on the Capitoline Hill, the remains of the statue are originally from the Basilica of Constantine in the Roman Forum. Constantine originally appeared seated, with a globe in one hand and the other hand raised in salute. The statue was an acrolith, so only the head, the lower arms, the hands and the feet were of marble. The rest of the statue, the parts covered by clothing, were probably made as a wooden frame covered with bronze or plaster. It seems the statue wore a crown or some other headgear, but nothing remains. But what does remain is incredible. The most amazing thing about the statue is obviously the size, its hard to imagine how large the entire statue was in its time. The Colossal Statue of Constantine ranks among my favorite things in Rome because honestly, who doesn't love a giant foot? Capitoline Museums