Warrior holding dying child by leg
An ancient sculpture showing a warrior holding a dying child by the leg. Object dated to the 2nd-3rd century CE. The artifact is in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples.
Researchers have different interpretations of the scene. The man is believed to be Achilles with the body of Troilos (son of Priam) or Neoptolemus (son of Achilles) with Astyanax (son of Hector). The scene is extremely dynamic and depicts the moment of killing the boy.
According to the museum description, in the 16th-century corrections were made to the sculpture and the man’s face was given the features of Emperor Commodus, who was remembered as a cruel ruler.
