Red Porphyry: Symbol of Imperial Power
Red porphyry is a rare dense stone from a remote quarry in the Egyptian desert. It bears a striking red and purple hue that commanded great interest...
Maya M. Tola 12 October 2023
Ancient Rome
Medusa Jewelry That Had the Power to Petrify
Since ancient times jewelry hasn’t only been a fashion detail or simple ornament, but a status symbol with a variety of meanings. On it, among...
Ana Djoric 9 October 2023
How to Identify a Roman Emperor by His Beard
How many times have you walked into a museum full of statues or busts and not been able to tell one ancient sculpture from another? It can be...
Lauren Dorsey 18 September 2023
Have You Ever Seen Ancient Sculptures’ Colors?
We admire the beauty and plasticity of ancient sculptures, how harmoniously they fit into the surrounding landscape. But we rarely ask ourselves the...
Elizaveta Ermakova 18 September 2023
Roman Floor Mosaics: Stories in Stone and Glass
Floor mosaics are one of the most well-preserved and widespread objects of Roman art. They were found throughout the Roman Empire from Britain to...
Anuradha Sroha 10 July 2023
Born of Fire: Ancient Roman Glass
Ancient Roman glass objects were functional and decorative beauties. Roman glass artisans experimented with glass-making techniques and applied...
Marga Patterson 23 June 2023
A Woman with A Knife: The Story of Lucretia
If you see a woman with a knife in a painting – think of Lucretia. She was an ancient Roman heroine whose fate played a vital role in the...
Zuzanna Stańska 11 June 2023
The Portrait of Rome’s Decline: Bust of Decius
The turmoil of Rome’s decline in the 3rd century enclosed the 21-month reign of Decius. His tenure as emperor was not exceptionally short for the...
Guest Profile 11 June 2023
Three Unique Portrayals of Europa’s Abduction Myth
The mesmerizing realm of Greek mythology is one of the greatest sources for artists to exhibit their technical brilliance and unique interpretations.
Erol Degirmenci 9 May 2023
Ancient Bikini Girls from the Roman Mosaics
If you have ever wondered when the history of the bikini began, it started at the same time and place in history as philosophy, mathematics, and art:...
Magda Michalska 15 March 2023
The Lansdowne Heracles at the Getty Villa
Heracles (or Hercules) is perhaps the most frequently depicted hero in Greek and Roman art. This sculpture from approximately 125 CE, known as the...
Maya M. Tola 29 December 2022
Khaled al-Asaad — The Hero of Palmyra
Five years ago on August 18, 2015, the world-renowned Palmyran expert Khaled al-Asaad was brutally murdered by the Islamic State (ISIS) after weeks...
Maya M. Tola 18 August 2020
