Does burying a statue's head change how we remember a leader?
In short: Classicist Mary Beard examines the ancient practice of iconoclasm through the Meroe head of Augustus. By comparing Roman history to modern debates over public monuments, she explores how removing statues shapes our collective memory and political landscape.
The Meroe head of Augustus serves as a historical lens for understanding iconoclasm, the deliberate destruction of icons or monuments. By analyzing how ancient societies handled controversial figures, we gain perspective on contemporary movements, such as the 2020 removal of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol.
On June 7, 2020, protesters in Bristol pulled down the statue of Edward Colston, a figure associated with the slave trade, and deposited it into the harbor. This event highlights the ongoing tension between public space, historical legacy, and the act of toppling monuments as a form of protest.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Objects of Crisis: The Meroe head of Augustus
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