Whenever I look at some ancient Roman faces on sculptures I cant help but notice that many do not really look like Italians, the face shapes, faces, eyes, brows, noses and also hair and eye colour of Roman state figures paint a general picture of an appearance fairly different to what most Italians look like, in fact many look very "Irish" like to my eyes personally.

Was there a pronounced ethnic difference between the Roman upper-class and the larger Roman populace (which I assume most Italians descend from)? Was there stronger gene flow from the middle east over time? I read that modern Egyptians have more Black African DNA than Ancient Egyptian corpses do, is the case the same here?