Male portraits

The image of men evolved in the course of Roman history. In the first century the usual type was a mature beardless man, with his hair combed forward and the locks arranged in different ways on the forehead.Salto de línea Starting in the second century, male figures were depicted with a beard and curly or more voluminous hair, a fashion begun by Emperor Hadrian that would last for around a century.

These variations were a consequence of attempts to emulate the imperial family, though this tendency was always tempered—particularly in male portraits—by the desire for realistic renderings of individual faces.