Context (Analysis)
The bust was originally identified as either depicting Antoninus Pius or Commodus. Rostovtseff identified it as Commodus in 1923, but in 1949 Alfoldi identified it as Antoninus Pius. This identification was accepted by Toynbee in 1962 and again confirmed by Walker in 2014.
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (Amendments / updates)
1918.160.1 A and B were previously described as one item, however the connection between the two is uncertain so they were given separate suffixes at a later, unknown, date.
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (Acquisition Details)
At an unknown date this object was assigned a Z number (Z 15191), which was later struck through, presumably once it was identified as being 1918.160.1 A.
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (Found together / assemblage)
From the bronze hoard from Hempsals Fen, 1857. The hoard of bronzes from a field known as 'The Hempsalls' in Willingham Fen (and associated pottery etc.) was ploughed up by Thomas Graves in March 1857. Mr Pegler, schoolmaster at Willingham, told Baron von Hugel that the objects had evidently been buried in a wooden box (of which he showed the Baron a fragment), which the plough had destroyed. The finds were deposited by Mr Pegler in the Museum, through Prof. Babington, in 18? [added in ink, ' 1885, 11th March' ]; they were purchased from his widow in 1918, and catalogued as 1918.160 1-15. Objects from the hoard not included in this catalogue entry were subsequently numbered Z 15185-90.
Event Date 1857
Author: maa

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Context (References)
Babington, C.C. (1883). Ancient Cambridgeshire. Cambridge: Cambridge Antiquarian Society. p. 84
Event Date 1883
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (Acquisition Details)
This hoard was deposited at the museum on 11 March 1885, as recorded in the 1884 Accession Register p. 9: 'Deposited by Mr. G. Pegler (schoolmaster of Willingham) through Prof. Babington who gave Mr P. a £5 note'.
Event Date 11/3/1885
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Description (Physical description)
Bronze bust of a bearded man, perhaps Antoninus Pius or Commodus.
Event Date 1918
Author: maa

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Context (References)
Fox, C. (1923). Archaeology of the Cambridge Region. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 214-215
Event Date 1923
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Rostovtseff, M. and H. Mattingly. (1923). 'Commodus-Hercules in Britain.' Journal of Roman Studies, 12. pp. 91-109.
Event Date 1923
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Clarke, L.C.G. (1926). 'Prehistoric and Romano-British Objects from England in the University Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge' in The Antiquaries Journal, Vol. 6. pp. 17-179, Fig. 3, Pl. XXXI
Event Date 1926
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Heichelheim, F.M. (1937). 'On Some Unpublished Roman Bronze Statuettes in the Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, Cambridge'. Proceedings of the Cambridge Antiquarian Society, 37. pp. 52-67
Event Date 1937
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Wegner, Max. (1939). 'Die Herrscherbildnisse in antoninischer Zeit', Berlin, Gebr. Mann. p 253
Event Date 1939
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (References)
Alfoldi, A. (1949). 'The Bronze Mace from Willingham Fen, Cambridgeshire'. Journal of Roman Studies, 39. pp. 19-22.
Event Date 1949
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Toynbee, J.M.C. (1962). Art in Roman Britain. London: Phaidon Press. p. 124 (cat. no. 3), Pl. 3
Event Date 1962
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (Analysis)
Toynbee dates this bus to the third quarter of the second century AD (1962, p. 124).
Event Date 1962
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Salway, P. (1970). The Fenland in Roman Times. London: Royal Geographical Society. pp. 209-210
Event Date 1970
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Wiles, JJ. and C.R. Elrington (eds). (1978). Victoria History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely, vol 7: Roman Cambridgeshire. Oxford. pp. 84-85, Pl XIV
Event Date 1978
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Context (References)
Wegner, Max and Unger, Reingart. (1979). 'Verzichnis der Kaiserbildnisse von Antoninus Pius bis Commodus', Boreas, Münstersche Beiträge zur Archäologie, 2. p. 98
Event Date 1979
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (References)
Wegner, Max and Unger, Reingart. (1980). 'Verzichnis der Kaiserbildnisse von Antoninus Pius bis Commodus', Boreas, Münstersche Beiträge zur Archäologie, 3. p. 77
Event Date 1980
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

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Context (References)
Evans, Christopher. (July 1984). 'Notes and News: A shrine provenance for the Willingham Fen hoard'. Antiquity vol 58. pp. 212-214.
Event Date 7/1984
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson

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Context (References)
Taylor, Alison. (1998). 'South East Cambridgeshire and the Fen Edge'. Archaeology of Cambridgeshire. Vol. 2. p. 104.
Event Date 1998
Author: Eleanor Wilkinson

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Context (References)
Walker, S. (2014). 'Emperors and Deities in Rural Britain: A Copper-Alloy Head of Marcus Aurelius from Steane, near Brackley (Northants.)'. Britannia, 45. p. 231, Fig. 5a
Event Date 2014
Author: Imogen Gunn

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Description (Physical description)
Hollow, bronze bust of Antoninus Pius. The emperor's face is narrow, with a short curly beard and slightly slanted eyes. His curly hair is carefully depicted in low relief. The elongated neck terminates in the upper portion of a draped bust.
Event Date 8/1/2015
Author: maa