Emperor Wearing the Corona Civica at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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This determined figure wears the corona civica, a wreath of sturdy oak leaves that symbolize strength and courage. Originally given as a simple award to soldiers who had bravely rescued a comrade in battle, an honorary oak wreath was bestowed upon Emperor Augustus at the beginning of his reign, and it quickly became a badge of power, an imperial prerogative maintained by all his successors down to the end of the Roman Empire. This mighty head has been recarved from an earlier portrait, likely that of Julio-Claudian Emperor Caligula. Remnants of the original hairstyle can be seen behind the ears. Such reuse of marble statues was a common practice in the third century AD. This remarkable 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-driven effort, if you have interesting items around you and would like to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to find out how you can help.