Fragments of Achilles Mural, Exquisite Bronze Statues Point to Wealthy Roman Society in Far Northern France

Fragments of a life-sized mural depicting a larger-than-life figure of the Iliad has been found in the remains of a Roman villa near Reims, France. The discovery included several exquisite bronze statuettes and the remains of a colonnaded facade, indicating that high artistic expression among local Roman well-to-do even was typical, and available, even when