Jupiter Column of Ladenburg (replica)

This replica of a magnificent Jupiter Column (Iupittergigantensäul) stands in the central courtyard of Heidelberg's Kurpfälzisches (Palatinate) Museum, as an example of the area's ancient history and archeology. The original, constructed in the 2nd century A.D., was excavated from a well in nearby Ladenburg, the former Roman-Germanian equestrian military encampment of Lopodunum, where it was thrown after Alemannen seized power and deposed the Roman gods. At the top of column, Jupiter Optimus Maximus, ascendant above all others and seated upon a horse, prepares to hurl bolts of lightning and crushes a giant meant to represent the forces of chaos or barbaric tribes, which would've included Alemannen's Germanic people. Around the base are detailed bas relief sculptures of Juno, Minerva, Hercules and Mercury. These columns were usually found within walled enclosures with an altar. This column is unique in that it was featured in a very high definition three-dimensional scan for an interdisciplinary collaborative research project, MUSIEKE: Multidimensional Perceptibility of Cultural Heritage, conducted by Heidelberg University LiDAR Geoarcheological Technology Lab. The results can be viewed inside the archeology museum.