Roman Senators in Processus Consularis

This marble carving (3rd c.) from the Acilia Sarcophagus depicts a processus consularis, a ceremonial procession for a consul’s installation. The expressive portraiture of the senators highlights the authority and continuity of Roman political tradition during a period of instability. The sarcophagus testifies to the enduring power and ceremonial grandeur of the Roman state, even as its foundations began to waver.