Arcesilaus ( grc, Ἀρκεσίλαος) was a sculptor in the first century B.C, who, according to Pliny, was held in high esteem at Rome, was especially celebrated by Marcus Terentius Varro, and was intimate with

Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus Lucius Cornelius Lentulus Crus (before 97 BC48 BC) was Consul of the Roman Republic in 49 BC, an opponent of Julius Caesar, Caesar and supporter of Pompey, Pompeius in the Caesar's Civil War, Civil War during 49 to 48 BC. Family and political care ...

. Among his works were a statue of

Venus Genetrix Venus Genetrix may refer to: * Venus Genetrix, epithet of the goddess Venus * Venus Genetrix (sculpture), the name for a type of sculptural depiction of the goddess * Temple of Venus Genetrix, a ruined temple in the Forum of Caesar, Rome See a ...

in the forum of

Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman people, Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caes ...

, and a marble lioness surrounded by winged

Cupid In classical mythology, Cupid (Latin Cupīdō , meaning "passionate desire") is the god of desire, lust, erotic love, attraction and affection. He is often portrayed as the son of the love goddess Venus (mythology), Venus and the god of war Mar ...

s, who were sporting with her. Of the latter work the mosaics in the Mus. Borb. 7.61, and the Mus. Capit. 4.19, are supposed to be copies. There were some statues by him of centaurs carrying nymphs, in the collection of

Gaius Asinius Pollio Gaius Asinius Pollio (75 BC – AD 4) was a Roman soldier, politician, orator, poet, playwright, literary critic, and historian, whose lost contemporary history provided much of the material used by the historians Appian and Plutarch. Polli ...

. Arcesilaus received a talent from Octavius, a Roman knight, for the model of a bowl (''crater''), and was engaged by

Lucullus Lucius Licinius Lucullus (; 118–57/56 BC) was a Roman general and statesman, closely connected with Lucius Cornelius Sulla. In culmination of over 20 years of almost continuous military and government service, he conquered the eastern kingdom ...

to make a statue of

Felicitas In ancient Roman culture, ''felicitas'' (from the Latin adjective ''felix'', "fruitful, blessed, happy, lucky") is a condition of divinely inspired productivity, blessedness, or happiness. ''Felicitas'' could encompass both a woman's fertility an ...

for 60 sestertii; but the deaths both of the artist and of his patron prevented the completion of the work.

Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic '' ...

, '' Natural History'
35.(45).155
: the reading "Archesitae", in §33, ought, almost undoubtedly, to be Arcesilae or Arcesilai

Notes

Ancient Roman artists {{AncientGreece-bio-stub