| The Rome of the Late Republic and early Empire is the Rome that we imagine today. It was a time of larger than life personalities, unconquerable armies and an empire that stretched across Europe. Yet there also existed a thriving art market. This thesis aims to prove that similar trends of today's market existed in Ancient Rome; high art prices, mega-collectors, celebrity artists, government sponsorship and the creation of jobs and economic stimulus. The presence of each trend will be examined in both time periods and their similarities and parallels discussed in depth. With the discovery of such an advanced art market in Ancient Rome, I hope to prove its relevance to today's historians and members of the art world. |
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