Why did the Romans place so much importance on portraits? Discuss the role of portraiture in Roman culture in terms of both private and public displays. Include a discussion of the concurrent trends of idealism and verism in Roman portrait sculpture, using examples we have discussed. Why would a person choose to be portrayed with verism? In what circumstances would idealism be more appropriate?

The development of Roman portraiture is characterized by a stylistic cycle that alternately emphasized realistic or idealizing elements. Each stage of Roman portraiture can be described as alternately "veristic" or "classicizing," as each imperial dynasty sought to emphasize certain aspects of representation in an effort to legitimize their authority or align themselves with revered predecessors. These stylistic stages played off of one another while pushing the medium toward future artistic innovations.