Matthias Seutter. Colossus Monarchic Statua Danielis. 1730.
The figure of Colussus, with sword and scepter, represents Daniel's interpretation of King Nebuchadenezzar's dream. He was a powerful Babylonian king who conquered Judea during the sixth century B.C. In the story, the king dreams of a mighty image with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay. Daniel, a Jew exiled in Babylon, interprets the image to represent once and future kingdoms, with Nebuchadnezzar as the head of gold. The plate depicts the four kingdoms as Assyrian, Persian, Greek, and Roman. -Via Libri