Roman sculptors are arguably best known for their representations of historical events on
monuments such as arches, altars, and columns.  In addition to historical relief sculpture, which is
considered by art historians to be a distinctly "Roman" form of ancient artistic expression, the
Romans commemorated their mythical and historical past in a variety of media, including painting,
silver, gems, and coinage.  This course will explore the repertoire of historical representations,
which range from military triumphs to religious sacrifices to civic benefactions of the emperor and
ruling elite class.  Using a combination of archaeological, art historical, and literary evidence, we
will address questions of artistic style, subject matter and iconography, and function (both literal
and symbolic).  We will also assess the accuracy of Roman depictions of the past and the
significance of such representations for the collective political and social identity of Rome and its
empire.