An article in the features research by Caitlin Barrett, associate professor of classics, about paintings depicting the Nile River in the garden of a large ancient villa in Pompeii.
Barrett says that the paintings could hold secrets on how the early Roman Empire was influenced by ancient Egypt.
鈥淭he paintings from the Casa dell'Efebo were created after Egypt was incorporated into the Roman Empire, but several generations after Augustus' initial conquest of Egypt,鈥 Barrett said. 鈥淪ome researchers have turned to explanations emphasizing religion: maybe paintings of Egyptian landscapes have to do with an interest in Egyptian gods.
鈥淥thers have interpreted these paintings as political statements: maybe this is about celebrating the conquest of Egypt. I suggest that instead of trying to apply a one-size-fits-all explanation, we should look at context and individual choices.鈥
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