\f1 \fs22 Roman sculpture was strongly influenced by the Greek world and by Etruscan and Italic culture. In the mon
uments of the late Republican and early Imperial ages it is still possible to trace motifs drawn from various artistic traditions. Thus in \b \cf4 \ATXht158 Augustus\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 ' Altar of Peace the real personages of the Roman narrative relief alter
nate with the allegorical and mythical figures of Hellenistic art and with naturalistic decorations of an Italic spirit.\par
It was in the portrait and the historical narrative relief that Roman art achieved its most characteristic expressions. \par