Uploaded March 2025 | Updated September 2026, 5 hours ago

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Discover the meaning and mysteries behind this ancient Roman artwork. Made in the late 2nd or early 3rd century BC, the large marble relief depicts a vibrant scene from the ancient city of Portus, an essential port for the Roman Empire.

Learn more about “Myth & Marble: Ancient Roman Art from the Torlonia Collection” on our website: https://www.artic.edu/exhibitions/10257/myth-marble-ancient-roman-sculpture-from-the-torlonia-collection

Thumbnail credit: Portus Relief, late 2nd–early 3rd century CE. Roman, Imperial Period. Torlonia Collection, Rome. © Torlonia Foundation. Photo by Lorenzo De Masi. Obj. 270052 (MT 430).