Treasures of Ancient Rome

Join Alastair Sooke as he investigates the Roman Republic's relationship with art, examining all manner of structures, sculptures, paintings and mosaics. Often accused of being copycats and art thieves during the era of the Republic, Sooke examines the different art forms that the Romans pioneered. From a new form of realism, producing portraits of the era's powerful leaders, such as Julius Caesar and Cicero, to the creation of marble relief, where sculptures are carved against a background of solid marble, each episode in this three-part series explores the remarkable and contrasting relationship the Romans had with art.