A peer reviewed article by classical art historian Paul Rehak, checked at its DOI landing page. Its strength is a close re-examination of the altar's south west sacrifice panel against the mainstream, decades old identification of its bearded, veiled figure as Aeneas. Its argument, that the figure more likely represents Numa Pompilius, Rome's second king and the traditional founder of Roman state religion, is cited here as Rehak's own scholarly challenge, not stated here as settled fact.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
Paul Rehak's article in The Art Bulletin, published by the College Art Association, the top tier reflecting standard peer review of a close re-examination of the altar's south west sacrifice panel by an established classical art historian. Its argument, that the panel's bearded, veiled figure more likely represents Numa Pompilius than Aeneas, is cited here as Rehak's own scholarly challenge to a decades old identification, not stated as settled fact. NotesChecked at its DOI landing page (The Art Bulletin, Vol. 83, No. 2, June 2001, pp. 190 to 208). Rehak argues the sacrifice panel depicts Numa Pompilius performing the fetial sacrifice he himself established, as the ideal of the peaceful ruler balanced against Romulus, the warlike ruler, on the altar's other western panel, and that this pairing brings the four figural panels into a coherent symmetry the Aeneas reading does not.
Citation
PublisherThe Art Bulletin, published by the College Art Association
URLhttps://doi.org/10.1080/00043079.2001.10786978
Source Typepeer-reviewed article
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names Aeneas directly: "of its bearded, veiled figure as Aeneas."
This source names Numa Pompilius directly: "Its argument, that the figure more likely represents Numa Pompilius, Rome's second king and the traditional founder of Roman state religion, is cited here as Rehak's own scholarly challenge, not..."
Claims Backed By This Source (12 claims)
This source backs 12 claims across the atlas. As facts: 8 well-attested. As cited relationships: 2 holds. Plus 2 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 8 claims: 6 well-attested, 2 holds.
- Articles, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Sacred Art & Iconography, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
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