All the emperor’s men and women

Emperor Augustus belonged to an extraordinarily influential family, whose history was marked by political intrigue, untimely deaths and bitter struggles over the imperial succession. Many of its most prominent members are represented in the Gallery of Busts at the Ara Pacis Museum, where visitors can quite literally put faces to the names of Augustus’ relatives, heirs and closest allies. A new project called Augustus’ Dynasty. Faces and Voices of the Protagonists aims to enhance this portion of the museum’s permanent collection by exploring their stories through a series of eight podcasts episodes that complement the museum’s permanent collection. Available in both Italian and English, the podcasts can be accessed by scanning the QR codes beside each bust. The episodes bring to life the military achievements, love stories, and personal histories of eight family members. Through engaging narration, visitors are introduced to figures such as Augustus alongside his loyal general and close ally Agrippa; Marcellus, once favored as imperial heir; the young Gaius and Lucius Caesar, sons of Julia; and the graceful Antonia Minor, together with her famously courageous son Germanicus. To complete the experience, visitors can also enjoy another multimedia project, known as The Ara Reveals Itself, offering an exciting immersive experience (thanks to videomapping techniques and with narration in your language through headphones) aimed at discovering the history of this fascinating monument that has survived to the present day: arapacis.it.