THE TETRARCHIC IMAGE

Abstract

Summary. The portraits of the Tetrarchs form a relatively coherent group after the confusion of images of earlier third century emperors (for a recent catalogue see L'Orange 1984). Their distinctive style, with its square, stylised features, has been labelled ‘cubist’(e.g. Vermeule 1962a). The use of such images as the porphyry figures in Venice (Fig. 1) appears to have been deliberate imperial policy (L'Orange 1984, 103 for references). The aim of this article is to discuss what the Tetrarchic image was intended to express, how it was evolved and what influence it had on the course of Roman portraiture.