Period: various characters from Ancient Rome

Various characters from Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome has a much less clearly perceived look than ancient Egypt (big on eyeliner, bald heads and braided wigs) so there’s been a wide variety of makeup styles in movie depictions, given coherence (if at all) by hairstyle.

This is perhaps hardly surprising since Ancient Rome in the movies typically runs from Julius Caesar to the fall of the Western Empire – over 600 years: more than twice the duration of the USA to date.

The movies & TV shows

Plebs (2013): Young single office workers in a city – which just happens to be Ancient Rome: it must have been a pitch that appealed to somebody. One of them works for Flavia (Doon Mackichan). Mariana Love (as Mariana Mihaylova) was the makeup designer.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966): Coming soon…

The Silver Chalice (1954): A movie that somehow manages to combine Nero, Simon Magus and the Holy Grail. Helena (Virginia Mayo) is Simon’s ambitious accomplice. Gordon Bau was the makeup artist. I have no idea why Virginia Mayo has Vulcan eyebrows.