When Roman Emperor Hadrian died on July 10, 138 CE, he left, as did his predecessors, an adopted son as his successor, Antoninus Pius (138 – 161 CE). Antoninus - whose last name means dutiful - was a just and compassionate man, well-liked and respected by the common people as well as those in government. For the next 23 years his reign (second only in length to Augustus) would be one of relative peace, assuring him a place among the Five Good Emperors.

This portrait of Antoninus Pius still shows three small 'warts' behind the head, forgotten by the sculptor who did the final polish. These markers meant for the sculptor prove that the back of the best pieces which left the Rome workshops was copied with as much care as the face.

This object is part of "Scan The World". Scan the World is a non-profit initiative introduced by MyMiniFactory, through which we are creating a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from across the globe for the public to access for free. Scan the World is an open source, community effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.