Two ancient heads from the Archaeological Museum of Split, slightly overpassing human proportions have such individual features that they should be considered portraits. A stone slab carved above the heads suggests the conclusion that they were used as statue-telamons in an ancient building. The first head (fig. 1, 2, 3) undoubtedly reveals the features of Alexander the Great what is evident already by superficial comparison with his numerous sculpture, mosaic or minor art portraits showing his big, warm and moist but vigorous eyes, strong lower part of the forehead, slighty crooked nose, hair divided in two locks reminding us of the lion’s mane. Most ancient authors usually mention these characteristic features when speaking about Alexander. The author considers the portrait in question to be much nearer to Pyrgoteles creations in glyptics than to well known Lysippus’ statue of Alexander, but it does not necessarily suggest the conclusion of its being carved on the basis of only one model. This portrait must be a combination of several model's condensed to the type which was to become traditional one. The other head (fig. 4, 5, 6) is that of a young man with longish face, big, sad eyes, long hair divided in two locks. Owing to the individual features a portrait is again in question. According to its physiognomic characteristics the author is inclined to consider the portrait to represent a Hellenistic ruler. Among well known portraits of diadochi the head reminds us of those from the Ptolemaic dynasty, specially those from the 3rd and 2nd century B. C. There is some similiarity with the head of Ptolemy III Euergetes from Rome, although his hair is much shorter. The head further reminds us of those of Ptolemy VI Philometor from Alexandria and Providence, but some details do not match. Our Salonitan portrait shows also some similiarities with the heads of unidentified princes of Ptolemaic house from Studio Canova in Rome and Archaeological Museum in Venice. On the basis of sculptural characteristics of both portraits and the site of discovery, the heads are supposed to belong to the »programme« of the so called Porta Caesarea at Salona, most probably to the reconstruction shortly preceding the emperor Hadrian.
