Round the room are ranged 83 busts of Roman emperors, empresses, and their near relations, forming perhaps the most interesting portrait gallery in the world. Even viewed as works of art, many of them are of the utmost importance. They are--
1. Julius Cæsar, nat. B.C. 100; ob. B.C. 44. 2. Augustus, Imp. B.C. 12--A.D. 14. 3. Marcellus, his nephew and son-in-law, son of Octavia, ob. B.C. 23, aged 20. 4, 5. Tiberius, Imp. A.D. 14-37. 6. Drusus, his brother, son of Livia and Claudius Nero, ob. B.C. 10. 7. Drusus, son of Tiberius and Vipsania, ob. A.D. 23. 8. Antonia, daughter of Mark Antony and Octavia, wife of the elder Drusus, mother of Germanicus and Claudius. 9. Germanicus, son of Drusus and Antonia, ob. A.D. 19. 10. Agrippina, daughter of Julia and Agrippa, granddaughter of Augustus, wife of Germanicus. Died of starvation under Tiberius, A.D. 33. 11. Caligula, Imp. A.D. 37-41, son of Germanicus and Agrippina. Murdered by the tribune Cheroea (in basalt). 12. Claudius, Imp. A.D. 41-54, younger son of Drusus and Antonia. Poisoned by Agrippina. 13. Messalina, third wife of Claudius. Put to death by Claudius, A.D. 48.
"Une grosse commère sensuelle, aux traits bouffis, à l'air assez commun, mais qui pouvait plaire à Claude."--_Ampère, Emp._ ii. 32.
14. Agrippina the younger, sixth wife of Claudius, daughter of Germanicus and Agrippina the elder, great-granddaughter of Augustus. Murdered by her son Nero, A.D. 60.
"Ce buste la montre avec cette beauté plus grande que celle de sa mère, et qui était pour elle un moyen. Agrippine a les yeux levés vers le ciel, on dirait qu'elle craint, et qu'elle attend."--_Emp._ ii. 34.
15, 16. Nero, Imp. A.D. 54-69, son of Agrippina the younger by her first husband, Ahenobarbus. Died by his own hand. 17. Poppæa Sabina (?), second wife of Nero. Killed by a kick from her husband, A.D. 62.
"Ce visage a la délicatesse presque enfantine que pouvait offrir celui de cette femme, dont les molles recherches et les soins curieux de toilette étaient célèbres, et dont Diderot a dit avec vérité, bien qu'avec un peu d'emphase, 'C'était une furie sous le visage des grâces.'"--_Emp._ ii. 38.
18. Galba, Imp. A.D. 69. Murdered in the Forum. 19. Otho, Imp. A.D. 69. Died by his own hand. 20. Vitellius (?), Imp. A.D. 69. Murdered at the Scalæ Gemoniæ. 21. Vespasian, Imp. A.D. 70-79. 22. Titus, Imp. A.D. 79-81. Supposed to have been poisoned by Domitian. 23. Julia, daughter of Titus. 24. Domitian, Imp. A.D. 81-96, son of Vespasian. Murdered in the Palace of the Cæsars.