The uncompromising realism of the portrait places it in the tradition of late Republican Roman portrait and genre sculptures of the 1st century BC . The archaeologists suggested that this was a portrait of Julius Caesar and that it should be given a date of about 46 BC , making it , according to France 's Minister of Culture Christine Albanel , the oldest known representation of Caesar . They further suggested that the bust was discreetly disposed of after Caesar 's assassination in 44 BC , when portraits of him could have been politically dangerous possessions
Caesar 's assassination
Assassination of Julius Caesar
Arles bust