From Associated Press:
Divers find Caesar bust that may date to 46 B.C.
Life-sized bust found in Rhone River near the French town of Arles
C. Chary / AP
May 13, 2008
PARIS – Divers trained in archaeology discovered a marble bust of an aging Caesar in the Rhone River that France’s Culture Ministry said Tuesday could be the oldest known.
The life-sized bust showing the Roman ruler with wrinkles and hollows in his face is tentatively dated to 46 B.C. Divers uncovered the Caesar bust and a collection of other finds in the Rhone near the town of Arles — founded
by Caesar.
Among other items in the treasure trove of ancient objects is a 5.9 foot marble statue of Neptune, dated to the first decade of the third century after Christ.
Two smaller statues, both in bronze and measuring 27.5 inches each also were found, one of them, a satyr with his hands tied behind his back, “doubtless” originated in Hellenic Greece, the ministry said.
Archaeologists’ views on Indiana Jones films: here.
Dear Kitty. Some blog 
2008-05-14 13:30
‘Oldest’ Caesar bust found
Arles find thrown into river after assassination, French say
(ANSA) – Paris, May 14 – The world’s oldest bust of Julius Caesar has been found in the River Rhone at the southern French city of Arles, French culture experts say.
The marble bust, which experts say was sculpted when Caesar was alive, was probably thrown into the river immediately after the dictator was assassinated in 44 BC ”because it wouldn’t have been a good idea to show you were his supporter right then,” archaeologist Luc Long said.
The French culture ministry said the bust – showing the ageing leader wrinkled and bald – was probably modelled from life, in about 46 BC.
All the portraits of Caesar in Rome are believed to have been sculpted posthumously.
Caesar used Arles as a base for his campaign against great rival Pompey.
The city’s Roman ruins and famed amphitheater have helped earn it a listing as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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2008-09-23 12:17
Caesar to dazzle Rome once more
Ancient city’s legendary leader star of new show
(ANSA) – Rome, September 23 – Rome is celebrating one of its most famous political and military leaders, Julius Caesar (100-44 BC).
A sweeping exhibition which opened in the Chiostro del Bramante on Tuesday commemorates the life, times and achievements of Ancient Rome’s best known figure.
The first ever exhibit to focus solely on Caesar, it showcases 180 items of archaeological, artistic and cultural interest, from ancient times until the 20th century.
The historic aspects of Caesar’s rule dominate the show, with extensive information on the political and cultural atmosphere of the time, his military campaigns, his literary works, his ascent to power and his brutal murder.
But the exhibit also looks at how the myth of Caesar has developed in the centuries since his death in 44 BC.
It considers the cult that sprang up in the immediate years after he died, as well as the legends about him that survived the Dark Ages and attracted fresh attention during the Renaissance.
By the 18th and 19th centuries, the figure of Caesar was enjoying a fresh wave of popularity and fans included Napoleon Bonaparte, who was fascinated by the achievements of his military forerunner.
The exhibit begins with artefacts from Caesar’s time, including a magnificent silver goblet discovered by Napoleon III.
A sculpture of Venus Genetrix, on loan from the Louvre, recalls Caesar’s claim to be descended from the Trojan prince Aeneas, son of the goddess Venus-Aphrodite. There are several busts of Caesar – although only confirmed portraits of the dictator will be on display – including those from museums in Berlin and the Vatican.
Curator Giovanni Gentili has stressed that uncertain portraits, such as a bust recently discovered in Arles, will not be included.
Portraits of key figures in the cast of Caesar’s life are also on show, with busts of Pompey on loan from Venice, Crassus from the Louvre, Mark Anthony and Cicero from Rome, and Cleopatra from museums in the Vatican, Turin and Berlin.
Other archaeological treasures include jewellery, manuscripts, mosaics and paintings from a variety of sources, including the villa in Herculaneum that once belonged to Caesar’s father-in-law, Calpurnius Piso.
Among the quirkier items is a globe that, legend has it, once held Caesar’s ashes. For centuries, the globe perched on top of the Egyptian obelisk in St Peter’s Square, which has been standing since Roman times. Another unusual feature of the exhibit is a vast complex of models reconstructing the Rome of Caesar’s times. The exhibition moves on to explore the development of the Caesar myth in later centuries, with paintings by masters such as Rubens, Guercino, Pietro da Cortona and Guido Reni. Massive canvases of Caesar by Giambattista Tiepolo, sold to the Russian tzar in 1800, have also returned to Italy for the first time in 200 years.
The final section looks at the depiction of Caesar in the world of cinema, from early silent black and white movies to the 1963 blockbuster Cleopatra, which was filmed at Rome’s Cinecitta studios.
The exhibit opens in the Chiostro del Bramante runs until April 5, 2009.
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