About this programme

2/3. Alastair Sooke reveals how the Romans' obsession with sex and violence was reflected in their art, and dons a wetsuit to visit the remains of emperor Claudius's pleasure palace. He also examines the bombastic pieces the Republic has become renowned for, including monumental arches and columns whose imagery relays the story of glorious military victories. Plus, the story of the emperor Hadrian, who redesigned the Pantheon in Rome.