CH8 Late Antiquity Overview ● 235-306 Soldier emperors to Constantine ● 337-527 Sons of Constantine to Justinian ○ Syrian artist paint biblical murals in the ○ Construction of basilican churches as well Dura Europos Synagogue as central plan mausolea and martyria ○ Late Antique sarcophagi and catacomb continue painting exhibit the first efforts at the ○ Luxury arts of metalwork, ivory carving establishment of a standard iconography of and manuscript illumination flourish Christian subjects ○ A new aesthetic focused on the spiritual ● 306-337 Constantine rather than the physical world emerges in ○ Roman basilicas instead of temples serve Late Antique art as models for the first churches in Rome, ○ Theodosius established Christianity as the including Old Saint Peter’s state religion, and Honorius moves the ○ Constantine dedicates Constantinople as capital of the Western Roman Empire to the New Rome on the site of Greek Ravenna Byzantium Map of Late Antiquity ● Roman Empire splits in half. ● Multicultural character of Roman society became more pronounced as rome expanded its territories. ● Late Antiquity is focusing on the adaptation the empire faced in allowing additional religions and keeping control in that world ● Judaism and Christianity became prevalent. Judaism in the east, as Christianity spread west, Judaism employed no iconography, while christianity developed a rich lexicon of iconography Map of Late Antiquity ● Very little is known about the art of the first christians. ● When historians speak about early christian art they are speaking about the first preserved objects, not the christians at the time of Jesus, Christianity only has artifact records since 300-410 Ce around the time of the Sack of Rome Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria 245-256 CE ● City called Europos by the Greeks and Dura by the Romans, this city was founded shortly after the death of Alexander the Great. ● By this time 245 CE, this city was in the hands of the Parthians, while previously being back and forth between Roman control and Parthian control ● 256 CE the city fell to the Sasanians. ● known as pompeii of the desert by archaeologists Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria 245-256 CE ● Remarkable that this existed in a Roman Garrison town, displaying mural paintings from the Jewish Torah of Hebrew scriptures ● This became a surprising find because scholars assumed that the 2nd commandment from Exodus 20:4-6 forbid jews from worshipping images, precluded the decoration of houses of worship with figurative scenes. ● No other illustrated or Illuminated manuscripts survive to provide any insight Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria 245-256 CE ● Dura murals are mostly devoid of action ● Artists told the stories through stylized gestures ● and the figures have expressionless features ● Samuel anoints David, shown right is a repeated scene depicted in the Arch of Septimius Severus and the Arch of Constantine. Showing Rome’s attempt to adapt to the religions within the empire Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Rendering of a Christian community house, Dura- Europos, Syria ca 240-256ce ● This was the layout of a typical Christian meeting house ● They were renovated private residences with a central courtyard. ● 1. central courtyard ● 2. Meeting Hall ● 3. Baptistery. ● The meeting hall could accommodate about 70 people at a time ● Without approval of the state both Jewish and Christian communities remained small. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Deeply concerned by the rising popularity of both religions, Emperor Diocletian ordered a round of persecutions in 303- 305ce. ● Christianity and Judaism both grew as the Roman state power weakened, both religions refused to pay homage to roman gods. ● 313ce the Edict of Milan by Constantine established Christianity as a legal religion with equal or superior standing to the traditional roman cults ● https://youtu.be/TG55ErfdaeY ● Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Most Jewish and Christian art in Rome from 3-4th centuries come from catacombs. ● Catacomb- underground networks of chambers designed as funerary complexes, mostly for jews and christians. ● Mural painting ● depicts two seven branched menorahs, modest versions of the grandiose menorah brought back from jerusalem in the arch of Titus ● Center is the ark of the covenant, which housed the stone ten commandments of Moses time. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Much of Early Christian art draw from Roman and Greek techniques and myths in developing their own iconography. ● The fresco dome in the Catacomb of Saint peter and Marcellinus has reclining figuration very similar to the greco roman tradition, but are telling christian stories mixing old and new testament themes. ● Similar in style to third century ce apartment buildings, that employed a circular frame with medallions (circles) and lunettes (semicircles) ● Scene is depicting Jonah and the whale. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Christians largely rejected cremation believing in the resurrection of the body. ● The most wealthy christian faithful were buried in marble sarcophagi, as did non christian romans that were wealthy. ● On the surface depicted Christian and Jewish themes From old and new testament rather than Roman religious stories. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Catacomb of Commodilla 370-385 ce ● Early depictions of Christ were as a boy as a good shepherd or as a teacher. ● However this catacomb were some of the first examples of depicting christ full grown with a beard, ● Only after.. the Edict of Milan by Constantine in 380, did the transformation occurred. Christ became, full grown, with a philosopher’s beard, and with a circular halo and purple robe, depicting his godliness. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Christ as the good shepherd 300-350 ce ● Christ before the Edict of Milan was always depicted as a child, A shepherd, or a Teacher/Seated Philosopher. ● Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Christ seated 350-375CE ● Christ Depicted as a philosopher. ● Not until the edict of Milan did Christ take on the authority that comes in later depictions. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Old Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome begun 319ce ● The greatest of Constantine’s churches ● Excavations in the Roman cemetery beneath the church have revealed a 2nd century memorial erected in honor of the christian martyr Saint Peter. ● More than likely Saint Peter’s Basilica was built on top of the martyr’s grave. ● Saint Peter’s Follows a Basilica Plan, and is the basis for Christian Church Construction. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Standard Basilica Plan. ● Early Christian basilicas follow a longitudinal plan ● Worshippers entered thru the atrium and Narthex ● Nave where worshipers sat. Aisle where people moved thru the worship space ● Apse usually held a fresco,, clergy spoke from this part, and was usually the eastern side. ● Transept held Religious Relics. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Old Saint Peter’s Basilica, Rome begun 319ce ● Early churches were Wood Truss roofed ● Clerestory Lighting ● Aisles were arcades held up by rows of columns ● Old saint peters could hold 4000 worshippers at one time, the nave was 300 ft long ● Constantine developed the transept. ● Early Christian churches were very sparse on the exterior usually just brick or concrete, with ornate interiors. Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome Illustration of Old Saint Peter’s Basilica Complex Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Santa Costanza, Rome Italy 337- 351. ● Christian Adapted Roman Classical Designs of two types of building plans ● Basilica Plan, (Old St Peters) ● Central Plan,(Santa Costanza). ● Central Plan Buildings Radiate from a center point. ● Central Plan Buildings were adopted on massive scales by the Byzantine Empire, Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (Istanbul) ● Santa Costanza was possibly a mausoleum for the daughter of Constantine Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Santa Costanza, Rome Italy 337- 351. ● Christian Adapted Roman Classical Designs of two types of building plans ● Basilica Plan, (Old St Peters) ● Central Plan,(Santa Costanza). ● Central Plan Buildings Radiate from a center point. ● Central Plan Buildings were adopted on massive scales by the Byzantine Empire, Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (Istanbul) ● Santa Costanza was possibly a mausoleum for the daughter of Constantine Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Building again is a simple brick exterior like old St peter’s basilica and many early christian church examples ● Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Santa Costanza, Rome Italy 337- 351. ● Interior of Early Christian churches were richly adorned in mosaics and frescos, depicting iconography of Greco Roman influences with old and new testament scenes. ● Santa constanza mosaics depict putti harvesting grapes and making wine, motifs associated with Bacchus/Romans, but for a Christian come to symbolize the Eucharist and Christ’s Blood. ● Soldier Emperors/Sack of Rome ● Suicide of Judas and Crucifixion of Christ. ● Luxury arts were items purchased and around the same time the larger arts of painting, sculpture, and architecture were around. ● Ivory Carving was a luxury ware of the day and depicted Christian themes. ● The depiction of the suffering and demise of Christ’s crucifixion with Judas betrayal and suicide. ● This is one of the oldest passion scenes depicted. Sack of Rome To Justinian ● Santa Sabina, Rome Italy 422- 432 BCE ● https://youtu.be/HjBfBB9r2QM ● Its carved doors are still around and display one of the earliest examples