Head of a Foreign Warrior
Unknown Artist
300–200 BCE
Medium
marble with traces of paint
Dimensions
{"overall":{"height":0.105}}
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1929.440
About this artwork
This miniature head depicts a man with wild curls that still retain their original red pigment. He is immediately revealed as a non-Greek by his carved mustache, associated with Celtic tribes, and cone-shaped hat called a Phrygian cap, associated with eastern peoples such as the Persians. During the Hellenistic period, various non-Greek peoples served as mercenaries or fought against the Greek kingdoms, and these foreign warriors were depicted extensively in art.