Etruscan and Roman portraits form part of the plaster cast collection, including two portraits of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, as well as a member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. These representative examples demonstrate a broader link to Greek precedents including a portrait of Alexander the Great, known as the Azara herm. Roman portraiture underwent a transformation, from veristic to idealistic, yet always remaining consistent in its goal of historical information and identity. Entire dynasties adopted a particular portrait style to establish its identity and authority throughout the empire.