Vero o falso? La vicenda archivistica in merito al rinvenimento dell’Ercole ebbro veleiate

Beginning from the well-known querelle on the presumed ‘modernity’ of the drunken Hercules’ sculpture preserved at the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Parma, this paper aims to shed light on the archival story related to its discovery in July 1760 at the forum of Veleia, through the discussion of available documents. Taking into consideration new documents (writings and drawings) illustrating such archaeological discovery, with its location and transport to Parma, further arguments are provided. These can defi nitively dispel any suspicion of forgery of the artefact, and replace it within the historical and cultural context of the Bourbon court of Parma in the 18th century.