The so called Dying Gaul is one of the masterpieces of the Capitoline Museums, without any  doubts. The extraordinary marble statue was part of a group of sculptures, belonged to a very famous monument knew by the ancient Roman that was used as a model. Being a local tour guide for me is always a plesure to admire the Dying Gaul, because many are the reasons that could push everyone to be astonished in front of it. 

First of all let me tell you how It is not a case that the history and origins of the Dying Gaul are very similar to those that affect another fantastic marble sculpture housed, instead, in the Palazzo Altemps Museum: the Suicide Gaul (click here to appreciate the other masterpiece). Both are roman copies, from the III century a.D. which were inspired by the models belonged to the monument wanted by Attalos, King of Pergamon (Greek city-state), at the end of the III century b.C. To commemorate his victory against the Galatians, the king Attalos ordered the sculptor to make something that could emphasize the victory and, at the same time, the defeat of the barbarians. It is not a case, in fact, that the attitude of the Dying Gaul has a clear subdued attitude.

The ancient Romans used the art even for political aims, by setting a large part of the public art on the representation, even through the poses and gestures of submission and defeat enemies. The Dying Gaul is incredible due to the soul that shines from the character. We see a man collapsed on the ground, tired and weakened. It seems that it won't be able to stand up. The sword is near him but is helpless, as well as his warrior. The left hand rests, almost with pain on the thigh, while the other touches the ground, the last support. But it is above all the face of the Galata to fascinate: its eyes, the grimace of the lips and wrinkles on the face give us a clear sense of suffering and pain. He is certainly going to die but it is not an easy death.

Moreover there are many elements that clearly show us the lineage, and the origin of man: he is a barbarian, and almost a savage in the eyes of the Greeks and Romans. A barbarian is simply a foreigner, a non-citizen who, as a result, is not civilized. His mustache, the hair thick and long locks of hair, and pronounced cheekbones. Everything points to the fact that we are faced with a barbarian, especially the necklace that he wears around her neck, called torque, used by many of those populations. It is also true that despite the extreme suffering of the man shines through, however, another type of value: courage. The Galata is defeated, he has a pained look but, at the same time, it seems that he is telling us that he died fighting and with honor. Another way, if we want to claim the strength of the winners through the courage of the enemies. Interesting to note, finally, how in this case, in the absence of clear documents or studies as accurate, even the Dying Gaul, for centuries, has not been identified properly. Even in the XVII century, in fact, it was thought that the wounded man on the ground was a gladiator! Fortunately that we now know the truth...