Historians and archaeologists not affiliated with the French administration, among them Paul Zanker, an archaeologist and expert on Caesar and Augustus, were quick to question whether the bust is a portrait of Caesar.Paul Zanker, "Der Echte war energischer, distanzierter, ironischer" , Sueddeutsche Zeitung, 25 May 2008, on-lineMary Beard, "The face of Julius Caesar? Come off it!", TLS, 14 May 2008, on-line Nathan T. Elkins, 'Oldest Bust' of Julius Caesar found in France?, 14 May 2008, on-line Many noted the lack of resemblances to Caesar's likenesses issued on coins during the last years of the dictator's life, and to the Tusculum bust of Caesar,Cp. this image at the AERIA library which depicts Julius Caesar in his lifetime, either as a so-called zeitgesicht or as a direct portrait. After a further stylistic assessment, Zanker dated the Arles-bust to the Augustan period. Elkins argued for the third century AD as the terminus post quem for the deposition of the statues, refuting the claim that the bust was thrown away due to feared repercussions from Caesar's assassination in 44 BC.A different approach was presented by Mary Beard, in that members of a military Caesarian colony would not have discarded portraits of Caesar, whom they worshipped as god, although statues were in fact destroyed by the Anti-Caesarians in the city of Rome after Caesar's assassination (Appian, BC III.1.9). The main argument by the French archaeologists that Caesar had founded the colony in 46 BC proved to be incorrect, as the colony was founded by Caesar's former quaestor Tiberius Claudius Nero on the dictator's orders in his absence.Konrat Ziegler & Walther Sontheimer (eds.), "Arelate", in Der Kleine Pauly: Lexikon der Antike, Vol. 1, col. 525, Munich 1979; in 46 BC, Caesar himself was campaigning in Africa, before later returning to Rome. Mary Beard has accused the persons involved in the find of having willfully invented their claims for publicity reasons. The French ministry of culture has not yet responded to the criticism and negative reviews.
Historians and archaeologists not affiliated with the French administration among them Paul Zanker an archaeologist and expert on Caesar and Augustus were quick to question whether the bust is a portrait of CaesarPaul Zanker "Der Echte war energischer distanzierter ironischer"  Sueddeutsche Zeitung 25 May 2008 on-lineMary Beard "The face of Julius Caesar Come off it" TLS 14 May 2008 on-line Nathan T Elkins 'Oldest Bust' of Julius Caesar found in France 14 May 2008 on-line Many noted the lack of resemblances to Caesar's likenesses issued on coins during the last years of the dictator's life and to the Tusculum bust of CaesarCp this image at the AERIA library which depicts Julius Caesar in his lifetime either as a so-called zeitgesicht or as a direct portrait After a further stylistic assessment Zanker dated the Arles-bust to the Augustan period Elkins argued for the third century AD as the terminus post quem for the deposition of the statues refuting the claim that the bust was thrown away due to feared repercussions from Caesar's assassination in 44 BCA different approach was presented by Mary Beard in that members of a military Caesarian colony would not have discarded portraits of Caesar whom they worshipped as god although statues were in fact destroyed by the Anti-Caesarians in the city of Rome after Caesar's assassination (Appian BC III19) The main argument by the French archaeologists that Caesar had founded the colony in 46 BC proved to be incorrect as the colony was founded by Caesar's former quaestor Tiberius Claudius Nero on the dictator's orders in his absenceKonrat Ziegler & Walther Sontheimer (eds) "Arelate" in Der Kleine Pauly Lexikon der Antike Vol 1 col 525 Munich 1979; in 46 BC Caesar himself was campaigning in Africa before later returning to Rome Mary Beard has accused the persons involved in the find of having willfully invented their claims for publicity reasons The French ministry of culture has not yet responded to the criticism and negative reviews