News from Italy
A statue of Hermes from the Roman Empire period has been found!
A statue of Hermes from the Roman Empire period was discovered in the ancient city of Aspendos, Turkey. The heads of Aphrodite and Eros and pieces of statues belonging to Artemis and Nemesis were also found in the same area.
A marble statue of Hermes was found during excavations carried out in the ancient city of Aspendos by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism within the scope of the ‘Heritage to the Future Project’. The statue, which was unearthed among the ruins of the monumental fountain (nymphaion) located on the south wing of the entrance gate east of Tiyatro Street, depicts Hermes, known as the messenger of Zeus, the chief god of Olympus and the fastest of the gods.
The statue was unearthed and almost wholly unearthed in pieces during the excavation work. It was put together in the excavation house warehouse and evaluated. In terms of its stylistic features, the work, which reaches a total height of 1.65 meters, including its pedestal, belongs to the Roman Imperial Period (late 2nd century AD—early 3rd century AD).
The unearthed statue depicts Hermes, the messenger of Zeus, the chief god of Olympus, and the fastest of the gods. Known as the god of roads, trade, hospitality, diplomacy, competitions and astronomy in Hellenic mythology, Hermes is also described as the protector of thieves, merchants, flocks and shepherds. The statue is depicted with a money purse in its right hand, a staff in its left hand, and a cloak hanging down from its shoulder. Next to its left foot is a ram figure with its head turned towards Hermes. Standing on an inscribed pedestal, the statue’s weight is placed on its left foot, while its right foot is slightly bent at the knee and thrown forward. In the area where the Hermes statue was located, heads thought to belong to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, and Eros, the god of love, were also unearthed. It was observed that the statues were crafted in an artistic style specific to the region and reflected the aesthetic understanding of the period. During the 2024 excavations carried out within the scope of the Heritage to the Future Project, body parts thought to belong to Artemis, the goddess of hunting, wildlife, animals and nature, and Nemesis, the symbol of justice, balance, fate and revenge, were also unearthed in the same region.