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Marble bust of Emperor Claudius, created during or shortly after his reign (41–54 AD), and now housed in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. The bust depicts Claudius wearing a draped toga secured with a fibula and crowned with a laurel wreath—symbols associated with Roman victory, legitimacy, and senatorial authority. His facial features are rendered with realistic detail in the Roman veristic tradition, portraying him not as an idealized god but as a serious and experienced statesman.

Claudius became emperor in 41 AD after the chaotic assassination of Caligula, his nephew. Overlooked for much of his life due to his physical disabilities and stammer, Claudius was thrust into power by the Praetorian Guard and surprised many by proving to be an effective ruler. His reign was marked by the annexation of new provinces—most famously Britain in 43 AD—as well as judicial and administrative reforms aimed at improving governance across the empire.

This bust likely served a propagandistic function, promoting Claudius's image as a wise and stable leader in a time of imperial uncertainty. It reflects the broader shift in Julio-Claudian portraiture from divine idealization toward human realism—an effort to connect the emperor more closely to Roman tradition and the values of the Republic.

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