Blanchard 1

JaneBlanchard
Student#3333882
Dr.MariaPappaioannou
ARCH1323DiscoveringArchaeology
November24th2014
AnExplorationofTheGaulKillingHisWifeandHimself
TheGaulKillingHisWifeandHimself(sometimescalledtheGalatianSuicide,
theLudovisiGaulortheGaulSlayingHisWife)isadramaticstatuedatingbacktolate
3rdcenturyBCdepictingaGallicwarriorwho,afterkillinghiswife,thrustsaswordinto
hischest,thuskillinghimselfinanactofsuicide(Fig.1).Itisanemotionallyintense
pieceofworkthatembracesthepassionsoflove,war,deathandritual.Itisthemost
powerfullyrealisticexpressionsofsuicidaldeathinantiquity1andisrepresentativeofthe
cultureandattitudestowardssuicideduringantiquity.
Whenviewedfromtheleft,onecanbeholdthemaleGaulglaringat(whatis
presumably)theenemywhiledrawinghiswifeclosetohim.Howeverthepieceismost
commonlyassessedandviewedfromthefrontalviewofthestatue,whichshowsthe
daggerwoundleftfromhissuicidalactwhilehetopplesoverhisdeadwifewhomhehad
earlierkilledaswell2.TheGaulswifeissinksslowlyindefeat,whilethemaleGaulis
shownasanimated,lookingoverhisshoulderwithfearandexpectation3.Thepiece
managestocapturethefeelingoftheescapefromtheGaulsenemiesaswellasan
escapefromthemselves;anacceptanceofdeath,aswellasadenialofdefeatthrough
1 Brown, (2001): 22
2 Balch (2003): 100
3 Brown (2001): 35

Blanchard 2
emphasizingthemortalityofenemies4.Thisintensityoftheimageryisemphasizedby
therelationshipassumedbythemarriageofthevictims,thusshowingthattheactof
deathwascommittedwithloveinmind.Althoughtheaestheticsofthepieceare
significant,theartifactshistoricandarcheologicalsignificanceareofequalimportance
wheninterpretingandanalyzingthestatueinregardstoitshistoricalcontextandcultural
importance.
CurrentlyTheGaulKillingHisWifeandHimselfisdisplayedwithinthe
sixteenthcenturyPalazzoAltempsgalleryaspartoftheNationalRomanMuseumin
Rome.ThefocusofPalazzoAltempsisonantiquesandarchaeologicaltreasuresacquired
fromprivateownersandvillas,asopposedtopiecesacquiredfrompublicmuseums5.
AlthoughfirstrecordedintheinventoriesoftheLudovisiCollectionin16236,itis
believedtohaveoriginallybeenerectedattheSanctuaryofAthenaontheacropolisin
PergamonbeforebeingstolenbyNeroforhisDomusAura,andthenplacedby
VespasianintheTempleofPeace7.
Althoughthepreviouswhereaboutsofthesculptureareunknown,onecould
assumeitspresencewithintheLudovisifamilyforalargechunkofitsmodernpresence.
Unfortunatelymanyscholarsdisagreeonmanyimportancessuchasthedatingofthe
monument,thechronologyoftheRomancopy,andwhetherornotitisanexactcopyor
eclecticRomanelaborationsofthePergameneprototypes,howevereducatedand

4
5
6
7

Brown (2001): 36
Dyson and Trimble (2000): 1
Marvin (2002): 205
Blach (2003): 105

Blanchard 3
researchedassumptionscanbemadeandtimelinescanbesomewhataccurately
represented.
ThesculptorofTheGaulKillingHisWifeandHimselfisunknown,however
throughresearchingsimilarsculpturessuchasTheDyingGaul(Figure2),itcanbe
assumptionscanbemadethatitmayhavebeencreatedbyEpigonosoroneofthe
membersofthelearnedartistsandscholarswhoserhetoricalandarthistorical
exploitationwasstronglyendorsedbytheAttaliddynastyduringtheapproximatetimeof
thecreationofthepieceindiscussion8.In1877thesculpturewasidentifiedasacopyofa
bronzeoriginalfromthededicationofAttalusIofPergamuminthethirdquarterofthe
thirdcenturyB.CtothegoddessAthena9.Thebronzeoriginalofthestatuehassince
disappeared,butthelatermarbleRomancopiesinscribedfromthestatuebasestill
remainsofthisHellenicstatue.ThemarblecopycamefromthecoastofAsiaMinoror
fromoneoftheadjacentislands(418,Fraser).Itisthoughtthatthestatueisadirectcopy
fromthebronzeoriginal,howeverthisisnotverified.TheGaulKillingHisWifeand
HimselfisspecificallypartoftheBoncompagniLudovisicollection,whichwasacquired
bytheRomanstateattheendofthenineteenthcentury10.
Inthelate3rdcenturyBC,Pergamonwaswinningimportantvictoriesandslowly
boostingthepowerofthecityunderthereignofAttalosI(241197BC),kingofthe
ancientGreekcityofPergamon.AttalosIwasaloyalsupporterofRomeinthe
HellenisticworldandalliedwithRomeduringmanybattles.Oneofthemostimportant
victoriesfortheregionwastheirvictoryovertheGauls,whoearlierterrorizedtheregion.
8 Howard (1983): 483
9 Fraser (1932): 418
10 Dyson and Trimble (2000): 1

Blanchard 4
TheGaulswerecentralandeastEuropeanswhoraidedGreeceandAsiaMinorinthe
thirdtosecondcenturiesBC.TheonlywaythattheGaulswouldagreetostopterrorizing
theregionstheyvisitedwasiftheywerepaidmoneyinexchangeforpeace.However,
AttalosIofPergamonrefusedthesedemandsofpaymentforpeace.Throughthis
resistancehedeclaredbattleoftheGaulsca.230BC.TheGaulsweredefeatedshortly
after223B.C.
AfterfightingandtriumphingovertheinvadingGauls,AttalosIandthepeopleof
PergamonbelievedthatAthenaNikephoros,thepatrongoddessofthecitydeserved
thanks.MonumentswereerectedinthesanctuaryofAthenaontheAcropolisshortly
after11.Thecourtinfrontofhermaintempleinthecitywascommemoratedand
decoratedwiththesemonumentsmostnotablebeingaseriesofbronzestatuesdepicting
defeatedGallicwarriors(Edwards,60).AmongthesewasTheGaulKillinghisWifeand
Himself.Ithasbeensuggestedthatthestatuemayhavetwofunctions:asasymbolof
victoryaswellasagestureofpityfromthevictortothevanquishedtoabsolvethe
AttalosandthepeopleofPergamonfromthehumiliationandresponsibilityofthe
vanquishedGauls12.
ThestatuewaslaterfoundatHortiSallustiani,whereJuliusCaesarwasfora
whileanoccupant.Thissuggeststhatthemarblecopiesofthestatueseries,which
includesTheGaulKillinghisWifeandHimself,mayhavebeencommissionedbyCaesar
tocommemoratehisownGallictriumphin46B.C,astheimageryofthestatuesfrom

11 Balch (2003): 100

12 Bazin (1970): 501

Blanchard 5
AtenastempleinPergamonwasconsiderablyappropriate.Ifthisisthecase,Caesar
couldbeseenasalsowantingtoalignhimselfwiththemonarchicalAttalusI13.
Detailsinthestatuesuchasthemudcakedhair,moustache,andtorquearound
theneckgiveethnographicinformationaboutthenonGreekpeople,astheGaulandhis
wifearedepictedwithtypicalnonHellenisticfeatures.Thephysicalattributesportrayed
inthefiguresarenottypicalofartofthetimethatrepresentstheGreekpeople.Thelack
ofgraceandtensemusclesdiffergreatlyfromtheusualgracefulportrayalofthe
Greeks14.Itisinterestingthatsuchasignificantandvisuallystrikingpieceofwork
representsneitheraGreeknorRomanfigure.Perhapsthiswasnotathoughtduringthe
timeofitsconstruction,howeverinpresentdayitisagroundbreakingpieceofwork
whenconsideringthevisualexpressionofdeathandsuicidethroughsculpture.
ItispossiblethatthispiecemaydepicttheactoftheGaulkillinghiswifefirstto
avoidhercaptureandtorture.Ratherthantofalltothehandsofhisenemy,hechoosesto
killhiswifeandthenhimself.Perhapswithdignityandgracehechosetoavoid
humiliationfromhispeopleandhiscapturers.Thisbondswellwiththeclassicviewof
theGalatians,whichwastheirapparentcourage,strengthandboldnessaswellastheir
naiveteandstupidity15.AlthoughthestatueisrepresentativeofthedefeatoftheGauls,it
alsoevokesempathy,whichcouldsuggestthatthepeopleofPergamonpitiedtheGauls16.
Ontheotherhand,itcouldequallyberepresenttheGaulswantingtodestroythemselves
andtheirlovedonesoutofcowardice,thereforedepictingtheGaulsinamorenegative
13
14
15
16

Edwards (2003): 60
Havelock (1970): 145
Balch (2003): 101
Edwards (2003): 62

Blanchard 6
light.Nonetheless,theimageryofthestatueshowsthebodiesoftheGaulsaswholeand
beautiful,asopposedtomutilatedanddestroyed.Thisrepresentsatleastasmallamount
ofrespectforthedeceasedandtheiractions,asopposedtorecreatingthesceneinamore
victoriousandmorbidway.
Suicidethroughouthistoryhasbeenviewedasbeautiful,heroic,andbold,aswell
asugly,criminalandcowardly17.Allofthesedescriptionscouldbeattributedtothepiece
indiscussion.InGreekantiquity,todiebyonesownhandorbythehandofalovedone
wasnotconsideredalltogetherwrong,aslongastherewasgoodreasonbehindthe
deed18.DuringtheLateRepublic(509BC27BC),committingsuicidewassomewhatof
amoraldutyforthenoblemanwholostfaithorfavourofhisemperororruler(p.15,
Anton).TheGaulKillingHimselfandHisWifecanbeinterpretedasalookintotheritual
andmeaningofsuicideanddeathduringthattime.TheGaulcouldbeseenascommitting
aritualistickillingduetothefailureoftheGallicinvasionoverPergamon.
ThereisnotmuchevidencedepictingatwhatparticularclasstheGaulandhis
wifewere.Ideologicalanddramaticexploitationofsuicideamonghumblepeopleonce
againmakesitclearthatselfkillingwascommoninallclassesofancientsociety19.
PerhapsthemaleGaulwasafighter,ormaybeasimplemantravelingwiththerestofthe
GaulstotheinvasionofPergamon.However,thefirstismostlikelyconsideringthe
historicallydesignatedgladiatorialandheroicrepresentationsofsuicide.Toexemplify
this,onecanlooktowhatmanyseeassuicidesfirstdepictioninearlyimages:thedeath
ofAjax,theGreekmythologicalherowhofallsuponhisswordinasuicidalactdueto
17 Brown (2001): 20
18 Brown (2001): 22
19 Van Hooff (2002): 20

Blanchard 7
beingconqueredbyhis[own]sorrow20.Thisactofkillingduetonotwantingtolivein
humiliationandsadnesscanbecomparedtotheactcommittedbytheGaulintheselected
piece.
AlthoughthisemotionalpieceofworkisrepresentativeofthePergamonstriumphover
theGauls,itdiffersfromthepiecesofartdepictingsimilartriumphsinEgyptianand
AncientNearEasternart,wheretheartifactsareoftenmuchmoredegradingofthe
defeatedenemy.TheGaulKillinghisWifeandHimselfaswellastheother
commemorationstoAthenafromthedefeataremuchmoredignifiedincomparison,and
insteadexpressemotionandrespectrepresentativeofamightybuthumbledenemy.
Comprehendingthispiecemaybeusefulinunderstandingtherelationshipbetween
differentculturesinantiquity,dedicationandappreciationtothegoddessAthena,aswell
asthehistoricalandculturalcontextofsuicide,ritual,warandhonor.

Wordcount:1,833

20 Ovid (1955 translation): 318

Blanchard 8

Figure 1: Gaul Killing Himself and His Wife. Roman copy of a 3rd
century BC statue from Pergamum. Museo Nazionale Romano in the
Palazzo Altemps, Rome. The Artchieve, 2014.

Blanchard 9

Figure 2: The Dying Gaul, Roman copy. University of Texas, 2014.

Bibliography
Balch,D.PaulsPortraitofChristCrucifiedinLightofPaintingsandSculpturesof
SufferingandDeathinPompeiianandRomanHousesEarlyChristianFamilies
inContext:AnInterdisciplinaryDiaolgue,2003:90101.
Bazin,Germain.Thehistoryofworldsculpture.NewYorkGraphicSociety,1968:501
Brown,R.RepresentingVoluntaryDeathinClassicalAntiquityArtofSuicide.
ReaktionBooks,2001:2137.
Donato,A.,Bruno,M.,andProchaska,W.TheDocimianMarbleoftheLudovisiand
CapitolineGaulsandOtherReplicasofthePergameneDedicationsAmerican
JournalofArchaeology,2011:575587.
Dyson,S.,andTrimble,J.,AntiquarianDelights.Archaeology53(1),2000.
Edwards,C.Incorporatingthealien:theartofconquestRomethecosmopolis,2003.
Fraser,A.TheRestorationoftheLudovisiGaulAmericanJournalofArchaeology
36.4,1932:418425.
Havelock,ChristineMitchell.Hellenisticart:theartoftheclassicalworldfromthe
deathofAlexandertheGreattotheBattleofActium.NewYorkGraphicSociety,
1970.
Howard,S.TheDyingGaul,AigniaWarriors,andPergameneAcademicismAmerican
JournalofArchaeology,1983:483484
Marvin,M.TheLudovisiBarbarians:TheGrandMannerMemoirsoftheAmerican
AcademyinRome:SupplementaryVolumes,2002:205223.
VanHooff,A.J.,Barbarians,Greeks,RomansFromautothanasiatosuicide:Self
killinginclassicalantiquity.Routledge,2002.

Blanchard 10
VanHooff,A.J.,ThelowerclassesshowthewayoutFromautothanasiatosuicide:
Selfkillinginclassicalantiquity.Routledge,2002.
CLASSICAL
Ovid,Metamorphoses,translatedRolfeHumphries,Indianapolis:IndianaUniversity.,
1955.