ROME-- The Embassy of India hosted a series of talks to launch an exhibition by the Indo-Italian Institute entitled “The Roman World and India,” which looked at the ancient connections between the two cultures.

 There were three talks by Dr Maurizio Miranda, President of the Indo-Italian Institute for Trade and Technology; Professor Fabio Scialpi, from Sapienza, University of Rome; and Dr Tiziana Lorenzetti, President of the International Institute of South Asian Studies. All three emphasised the close links that existed between the two ancient civilisations, evident in language, traded goods and art.

 A specific example used was that of art in the Gandhara region, an ancient Indian kingdom northwest of Pakistan, which displays distinct Roman and Greek influences, especially in the naturalistic representation of the human form. It was also pointed out that there existed well-trodden trade routes between Ancient Rome and India, allowing for an exchange of language, goods and currency. Indeed, various coins from Augustus and Nero’s empire have been found in India, and a statue of the goddess Lakshmi was found among the ruins of Pompeii.

 The Ambassador of India, H.E. Anil Wadhwa, emphasised the importance of maintaining this exchange and making sure that it brings cultural and commercial benefits. Dr Lorenzetti reinforced this, commenting that the two countries “share a common destiny in the globalised world.”

TM