The British Museum

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

This bronze statue of the Roman emperor Augustus’ wife Livia was found in the theatre at Herculaneum. As a public figure in a position of power, Livia would have been the female role model of her day.

 

Read about the unknown city of Herculaneum from project curator Vanessa Baldwin on the Museum’s blog http://ow.ly/kTFXq