Four Tetrarchs

c. 305 CE

Roman, Late Imperial Period

Porphyry

San Marco, Venice

--Tetrarchy was Diocletian's idea; divided Empire into 2 different parts with 2 rulers for each half; the 1st ruler, the "president", was called the "AUGUSTUS" and the 2nd ruler was the "CAESAR"

--Tetrarchy falls apart as soon as Diocletian steps down

--This leads to the take over by CONSTANTINE

--HIGHLY STYLIZED = all faces the same, conveys unity of rulers

History of Emperor Constantine the Great

--Ruled from 306-337

--Battle of Milvian Bridge = night before Christ tells Constantine to win under his name, "In hoc signo viences" = "In this name conquer"

--Puts "Chi Rho" (X+P) = painted on all soldiers' shields

--313 CE = Christianity "legalized" (recognized as own religion separate from Judaism)

--Constantine declares Christianity the official religion of Rome (CONSUL OF NICEA)

--This is a MAJOR MOMENT because Rome, while always religiously tolerant as long as loyalty was to Rome first, did not get along with Christians because they only pledged to God

Arch of Constantine

312-315 CE

Roman, Late Imperial Period

Forum, Rome

--Honoring Constantine in Battle of Milvian Bridge

--Reliefs not carved at time of Constantine (taken off monuments of Hadrian, Trajan and Marcus Aurelius; 3 of the most beloved emperors of Ancient Rome outside of Augustus

--Connects him to Augustus by keeping tradition of Triumphal Arch; also next Colosseum, connecting him to Vespasian, another beloved emperor

--WHY? He's changing the religion, a drastic change to Roman life across the empire, so he's putting himself in the same line as the greatest emperors Rome ever knew

Old St. Peter's Basilica

c. 320-27 CE

Roman, Early Christian Period

Rome, Italy

Commissioned by Emperor Constantine

--No longer exists, built of wood outside city walls just in case Christianity doesn't last

--MOST IMPORTANT CHURCH OF NEXT 1,000 YEARS; all others make reference to it

--Built over assumed location of St. Peter's burial site, marked with MARTYRIA (traditionally buried where one is crucified, and Peter was martyred on the Vatican Hill where Old St. Peter's was erected)

Architectural properties of Old St. Peter's

--Atrium: just like Pantheon

--Narthex: formal entryway of holy space (part of atrium)

--Transcept: parallel to narthex

--Nave: everything between narthex and transcept

--Central vessel: in nave, center

--Aisle: either side of central vessel

--MOST IMPORTANT POINT IN CHURCH = CROSSING: WHERE TRANSCEPT AND CENTRAL VESSEL INTERSECT

--St. Peter's tomb AND altar in CROSSING

--Apse: semi-circular area to highlight crossing

--Triforium: vacant space for decoration

--Clerestory: windows

--Arcade: series of arches in straight line (surmounts colonnade, shorter than those surmounted by entablature)

Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

c. 359 CE

Roman, Early Christian Period

Marble

Commissioned by Junius Bassus

--Junius Bassus = prefect of Rome (effective mayor of the city itself)

--50 years before sarcophagi are fashionable; proclaims Christian identity even though he didn't convert until his death bed

--Columnar sarcophagus = sections separated by columns

--Didactic = used to instruct; 4 themes: trial, faith, suffering and redemption

Sacrifice of Isaac

c. 359 CE

Roman, Early Christian Period

Marble

Commissioned by Junius Bassus

From Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus

--God tells Abraham via Gabriel to sacrifice his son, Isaac

--Gabriel stops him at the last second; trial and faith demonstrated

--Lamb is then offered in Isaac's stead; lamb is often referred to as "Christ"; AGNUS DEI = "Lamb of God"

--Established idea of Eucharist

Christ Enthroned with Sts. Peter and Paul

c. 359 CE

Roman, Early Christian Period

Marble

Commissioned by Junius Bassus

--Peter and Paul = patron saints of Rome

--Peter and Paul help establish identity of church of Rome

--Christ = GESTURE OF BENEDICTION; 3 fingers up, 2 down

--Christ = stepping on Jupiter (some debate over who it is, but Jupiter is most widely accepted)

San Vitale

526-547 CE

Byzantine Period

Ravenna, Italy

Commissioned by Justinian I

Emperor Justinian and Retinue

From San Vitale

Byzantine Period

Ravenna, Italy

Theodora and Retinue

From San Vitale

Byzantine Period

Ravenna, Italy

Christ the Redeemer

From San Vitale

Byzantine period

Ravenna, Italy

Hagia Sophia (Anthemius of Tralles and Isidorus of Miletus)

532-537 CE

Byzantine Period

Istanbul, Turkey

Commissioned by Justinian I

Theotokos (Virgin and Child with Sts. Theodore andGeorge)

c. 6th century CE

Byzantine Period

Encaustic on wood

From Monastery of St. Catherine, Mount Sinai, Egypt

--Byzantine icons = small portable paintings depicting Christ, the Virgin or saints

--"Icon veneration" was confused with "idol worship", so a rift appeared between the ICONOCLASTS (breakers of images) and the ICONOPHILES (lovers of images)

--ICONOCLASM = the Empire banned all icons and set about destroying those that were already made

Dome of the Rock

691 CE

Islamic, Umayyad Period

Jerusalem

Great Mosque

785-786 CE

Islamic, Umayyad Period

Cordoba, Spain