The "Barbarian Princes" in the Ara Pacis Procession and the origin and development of the so-called "Camillus Coiffure".

Abstract

The procession on the Ara Pacis includes two young boys whose identity has been disputed. Their long curly hair and short tunics set them apart from the other participants. Various explanations for their presence have been given, the most popular hypotheses being that they are either barbarian princes living as hostages at the Augustan court, wearing their national costume or that they are Augustus' grandsons Gaius and Lucius Caesar, dressed as participants in the Trojan game. It is here proposed that they are Lucius Caesar and his younger brother Agrippa Postumus, dressed up as sacrificial servants. Their dress and coiffure influenced later representations of sacrificial servants in public and private contexts and determined the development of the so-called Camillus coiffure.

Keywords

• Art history
• archaeology
• sculpture
• Ara Pacis