Until July 6th visitors to the Palazzo dei Conservatori of Musei Capitolini can observe the skilful bronze bust of Queen Arsinoe, the wife of Ptolemy II of Egypt who ruled the country from 220 to 204 BC. This is a fascinating work by the masters of antiquity brought from the Museo Civico di Palazzo in Mantua.

The story of Arsinoe is full of tragic and objectionable events. Her father was Ptolemy I Soter. She first married at the age of 15. After her first husband died in a battle she, for political reasons only, married her half-brother Ptolemy Keraunos. Because of her conspiracy against Ptolemy Keraunos she had to flee to Egypt to become the wife and share the titles of her other brother - Ptolemy II.

The bronze bust was donated to the city of Mantua by the diplomat and collector of Egyptian antiquities Giuseppe Acerbi. The place of discovery is unknown, but the bust is most likely to have the Egyptian origins.
2008.06.02