STATUE OF HERACLES ~ SELEUCIA ON TIGRIS IRAQ

A statue representing Herakles (Hercules), made of bronze found in Seleucia in southern Baghdad, Iraq. The statue dates back to the Hellenistic period (321-139 BCE).

In the spring of 1984 the Iraq Museum acquired this inscribed bronze copy of Lysippos'"Weary Herakles," which had recently been found by chance in the ruins of Seleucia. On the right thigh there is a complete Greek inscription recording Vologeses IV's removal of the statue from Mesene  to the temple of Apollo in Seleucia.The left thigh has a damaged inscription in Parthian providing the same information, with some minor variations.

Greek and Parthian script, lower part of the bronze statuette of Hercules.