Exhibit connects ancient power plays to modern true Crime

Curators at the Kunsthistorisches Museum (KHM) in Vienna, Austria, are presenting an exhibit that uses elements of the “true crime” genre to draw visitors into the world of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

The exhibit, titled “Tatort Ephesos. Kleopatra und Rom” (Crime Scene Ephesus. Cleopatra and Rome), displays around 100 objects from the KHM’s collection and loans from institutions like the British Museum and the Louvre.

While initially sparked by a century-old mystery surrounding a skeleton discovered in Ephesus, once thought to be that of Kleopatra’s sister, Arsinoe IV, but later identified as a boy between 11 and 14 years old, the exhibit focuses on the broader historical context of the Ptolemaic dynasty and the power struggles within it.

The exhibit explores Alexandria as a center of knowledge and culture during the Ptolemaic period, showcasing the famed Library of Alexandria and the city’s diverse population, including a significant Jewish community. Ptolemaic rulers, though of Greek-Macedonian origin, skillfully presented themselves as both Greek kings and divine pharaohs by aligning with Egyptian priests and adopting local religious practices.

This blending of cultures is further illustrated by artifacts like the god Serapis, created to appeal to both Greek and Egyptian populations, and Roman-influenced “mumienporträts” (mummy portraits) placed over the faces of the deceased. A central piece of the exhibit is the Gemma Augustea, a carved onyx cameo from 9 to 12 AD depicting Emperor Augustus with the goddess Roma.

This object is notable because Augustus, despite officially forbidding depictions of himself as a god, commissioned this piece for his inner circle. The exhibit demonstrates how, after Egypt became a Roman province, Egyptian cults, such as that of the goddess Isis, spread throughout the Roman Empire, impacting religious life across the region. The exhibit will run until March 29, 2027.