Colour and painted decoration have a long history in ancient architecture and they completed monuments' appearance. The present golden hue of the marble is due to age. The precise allocation of all the colours is not known. The background was probably blue and the marbles were painted with various colours and combinations of red, light blue, yellow, green, and golden. Metal attachments on the reliefs added to the colourful effect.

Try to paint a block from the frieze. Make your choice depending on what colour you like most.