Abstract
The paper publishes a terracotta fi gurine from the Egyptian collection of V.S. Golenishchev (Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts), depicting the triumph of the Roman emperor bearing the attributes of an Egyptian pharaoh (a falcon on his left shoulder an the Uraeus on his head), trampling a bearded barbarian with loose hair, in long pants and a shirt (a German?). The iconography makes it possible to date the terracotta of the 3rd century AD, the era of the Severan dynasty or ‘soldier’ emperors. This composition, most likely created by an Egyptian master, is a Romanized version of the traditional plot – the triumph of the king, known since the era of the Old Kingdom. The diff erent scale of the fi gures (the emperor-pharaoh is represented as being disproportionately taller than his enemy) and the frontality of the depiction are characteristic of Egyptian art in general, including the era of Roman rule. The author believes that the terracotta composition glorifies the greatness of the Roman imperial power and was guided by the mentality of the Egyptians. In general, this artefact refl ects the process of syncretism in the culture of Roman Egypt of traditional Egyptian elements with antique ones.
Keywords
Ancient Egypt, Roman Empire, collection of V.S. Golenishchev, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, terracotta, synthesis, scene of triumph, Horus, Set, Severs, Barbarians, canon, Romanization.
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