The city of Rome was a space for individual competition during the Republic. Triumphant generals dedicated public buildings such as temples or basilicas as a means of preserving the memory of their victory, as well as transferring glory to their descendants. But Roman monuments and sculpture was always a delicate balancing act between respecting tradition and incorporating innovative elements. This lecture introduces the language of visual culture at Rome and explores some of the significant monuments of the Republic, and tracing the way that the struggle between Caesar and Pompey was manifested in their portraiture and rival building programmes.

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