The aim of my PhD dissertation is to investigate the different uses of the so-called imagines clipeatae (shield-busts), their contextual difference and how they differentiated from other types of Greco-Roman sculptural art. I am particularly interested in how the shield-busts were used as potential mnemonic artifacts that shaped, manipulated, and conveyed memory and thusly shaped the collective and cultural memory in the Roman world.

Shield-busts are a combination of portrait busts with a shield-like frame that encapsulated the portrait bust. They are visible in both the private and public spheres of the ancient Roman world and are represented in monuments, buildings, sarcophagi, and wall paintings. The shield-busts usually depicts gods, emperors, high officials, and philosophers and provides an interesting material for exploring the cultural and intellectual aspirations of their patrons.

The material consists of a large sample of different shield-busts from a variety of different contexts ranging from the first century BC to the fifth century AD. In addition to the shield-busts, a collection of ancient literature that are referring to the shield-busts are consulted in the project to better understand their context.

The thesis combines theoretical perspectives from both memory research and art history.