The Herculean Sarcophagus of Genzano is a Roman sarcophagus from Genzano, which is in store at the British Museum. It features the Twelve Labours of Hercules. It has been dated to about AD 150–180. It is 221 cm long, 76 cm high and 91.5 cm wide.
On the front of the sarcophagus Hercules is depicted performing five of his twelve tasks, from left to right:
leading Cerberus from the gates of underworld taking Hippolyta's girdle plucking the golden apples of the garden of the Hesperides taming the ferocious mares of Diomedes overcoming the Nemean lion
The side panels provide two additional scenes of Hercules: struggling with the Ceryneian Hind fighting the Lernaean Hydra
The remaining five labours are shown on the front of the lid, from left to right: capturing the Erymanthian boar cleansing the Augean stables shooting the Stymphalian birds capturing the Cretan bull defeating the giant Geryon
These later scenes are framed by images of Hercules as a child strangling the serpents sent by Hera to kill him (left) and Hercules as an old man receiving immortality (right).Memorials to the Roman Dead, by S. Walker, (London, The British Museum Press, 1985)
The image of Geryon depicts him with three heads.Signes gravés sur les églises de l'Eure et du Calvados by Asger Jorn, Volume II of the Bibliotehéque Alexandrie, published by the Scandinavian Institute of Comparative Vandalism, 1964, p198
The Proconesian marble for the sarcophagus was quarried on Marmara Island, Turkey, known as Proconnesus or Prokonnesos to the ancients. It is unknown whether it was exported as finished item or completed in a workshop in Rome.Memorials to the Roman Dead, by S. Walker, (London, The British Museum Press, 1985)
The sarcophagus was one of the many items purchased by the British Museum, in the 19th century, from the Italian dealer and collector (among other talents) Alessandro Castellani. It is believed that the artifact originated from somewhere in the area of Genzano, Italy.
References
External links Google Cultural Institute Entry