“Colossus Monarchic. Statua Danielis” (Colossal Kings) from 'Atlas Novus.Tabulae Geographicae’ by Matthaus Seutter the elder (1678-1757), Plate 1, 1728. One of the most interesting cartographic curiosities in Seutter`s famous series of large symbolic figures. Colossus, with sword and scepter, represents Daniel`s interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar`s dream. The greatest empires in history are engraved on his breastplate. Oriental empires on the left leg and western ones listed on the right leg. Mythical animals also representing the great monarchies flank the figure.
Fantastic double page allegorical map of a colossus figure representing the great world empires as Daniel interpreted in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful Babylonian king who conquered Judea during the sixth century B.C. The Book of Jeremiah calls Nebuchadnezzar the "destroyer of nations" (Jeremiah 4:7) and gives an account of the second siege of Jerusalem (587 BC) and the looting and destruction of the First Temple (Book of Jeremiah Jeremiah 39:1–10; 52:1–30).
Nebuchadnezzar is an important character in the Old Testament Book of Daniel.[8] Daniel 1 introduces Nebuchadnezzar as the king who takes Daniel and other Hebrew youths into captivity in Babylon, to be trained in "the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans". In Nebuchadnezzar's second year, Daniel interprets the king's dream of a huge image as God's prediction of the rise and fall of world powers, starting with Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom (Daniel 2). Nebuchadnezzar twice admits the power of the God of the Hebrews: first after Yahweh saves three of Daniel's companions from a fiery furnace (Daniel 3) and secondly after Nebuchadnezzar himself suffers a humiliating period of madness, as Daniel predicted.
The plate depicts the four kingdoms as Assyrian, Persian, Greek, and Roman.
The warrior stands stolidly on the coast in martial gear with a scepter in his right hand. The monarchical successions of the world's major civilizations are listed on his armor and legs. He is surrounded by three mythical creatures and a bear who represent the greatest empires: Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome. A scroll cartouche in the upper left lists the Roman gods in Latin. An identical scroll has been attached as a tab, with the same information in German.
