Because of the age of ancient Greek and Roman art, many of the antiques available today are replicas of ancient pieces. Originals are very rare to come by, but existing pieces include Roman coins, Greek and Roman mosaic art (art made with small pieces of colored glass or stone), Roman art and furniture, cookware, sculpture, glasswork, marble portraits, funerary steles, and architecture made between the mid-first century BC through third century AD. Ancient Roman art and architecture has had an impressive impact on the history of the world. Roman structures, columns and sculptures were copies of Greek pieces initially, but by 100 AD, the Romans had developed their own style and identity. Most Roman art work was made of concrete or marble, known for its resistance to fire and viable durability. This has aided the recovery and restoration efforts of many of these ancient antiques. Roman Art and Mosaics
In the 1920s, excavators found the town of Olynthus in Greece. It had been destroyed by war in 348 BC and remained lost for multiple centuries. The excavation revealed stunning mosaic floors brandishing elaborate pictorial scenes and borders. Simpler patterns were found as well, but this discovery dated the art form to the fourth century BC. Antique collectors and museums value mosaics for their color and detail. Many artists used stones to form people, flowers and more on mosaic tiles. In Rome, this tradition continued through the third century A.D. They carried the process even further, incorporating mosaic styles into huge expanses of flooring and wall patterns. The Roman art style spread quickly throughout North Africa and Europe. As a matter of fact, some of the most skilled mosaic craftsmen were North Africans. Later, after Roman civilizations fell, the style became utilized extensively by churches and religious artists.
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