THE LATE EMPIRE AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

1. THE LATE EMPIRE AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY CONSTANTINE

2. PANTHEON REVIEW

3. WHY IS THE WORK SIGNIFICANT – HOW DOES IT SPEAK FOR IT’S TIME / GENERATION? • In what way do the visual qualities of the building reflect the culture’s social, religious and /or political values of the time, or the chief concerns of this time?

4. Study Habits/Practices • How do you study best? • What study habits/practices does the article say are most productive and why? • Which of these study habits have we begun to develop in this class? How can we improve them?

6. Constantine • 200 hundred years after Augustus the power of the Roman empire began to erode there were uprisings afar and in Rome • The polytheic state religion was losing ground to other religions in the east, including Christianity • The late empire was mired with wars to control Rome • After a long period of conflict Constantine took control to the capital – Rome • He attributed his victory to the aid of the Christian God – see reading handout • He and his co-emperor, Licinius, issued the EDICT of MILAN, ending the persecution of Christians • Constantine eventually fought with and defeated Licinius and became the sole emperor • HE FOUNDED THE “NEW ROME” AT BYZANTIUM AND NAMED IT CONSTANTINOPLE (MODERN-DAY ISTANBUL, TURKEY) • THE POWER OF THE EMPIRE WAS TRANSFERRED FROM ROME TO THIS NEW CITY • IN 325 HE LEGALIZED CHRISTIANITY & HE WAS BAPTIZED ON HIS DEATH BED IN 337 • EMPORER THEODOSIUS MADE CHRISTAINITY THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF ROME

7. ART UNDER CONSTANTINE • Art is a mirror of the transition from the ancient world to the medieval world • He continued to build Roman public buildings such as baths, basilicas and triumphal arches but he also built churches

8. An early image of Christ in Rome: ALEXAMENOS GRAFFITO Alexamenos was a Roman soldier The inscription in Greek reads “Alexamenos worships his God”

9. Arch of Constantine What are the facts? (F) Architect: NA Patron: Emperor Constantine Title: Arh of Constantine Date: 312 CE Period/Style: Late Empire Size: Monumental Findspot: Rome Subject Matter: Triumphal rule of Constantine: reunification of Rome after civil war. TRIUMPHAL ARCHES: FEW ROMAN ORIGINAL REMAIN, USUALLY DEDICATED TO VICTORIOUS GENERALS TO CELEBRATE VICTORIES FOR ROME Material: Carrved marble. Refurnished sculptures from previous emperors

10. Why would Constantine want to use sculptures from previous emperors’ public artworks

11. LOCATION: Adjacent to the Colloseum. Strategically placed to deliver message of victory to the people. Would have been a gateway into a forum • HISTORICAL EVENTS: Unusual Commemoration: Constantine’s triumphs over Maxentius for the control of Rome. • CONCEPTS AND IDEAS: Establishes Constantine as Liberator Urbis – Liberator of the City. And Fundator Quietus – bringer of Peace. These ideas link him with great Imperial Emperors such as Augustus, Trajan and Hadrian. Use of sculpture from previous successful emporers support this message • Function: APPROPRIATION SERVING POLITICAL PROPAGANDA – reuse of sculptures associates Constantine with the “good emperors” in a time following upheaval and massive political and religious changes. UNITES HIM WITH ROME”S GOLDEN ERA Why was it Created

12. How is Constantines message visually presented? (FA) • Constantine’s artists reused the sculptures from the monuments of Tajan, Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius • They recut the the heads of the earlier emperors to look like him • Reads bottom to top • Art historians cite this reuse as a sign of the decline of Roman civilization but it also aligns him with the great past of Rome – is purposeful TRAJAN – Dacian Prisoners Hadrian - Rotundels Marcus Aurelius Reliefs

13. 1stleve: Images of victory at bottom: Nike’s standing over prisoners • 2nd level: Hadrian Roundels – Supporter of the arts and philosophy. Hadrian hunting images – A good Emporer is a good hunter. Paying him homage while glorifying his link to the great past • Dacian Pediment Sculptures – Trajan defeated the Dacians, taken from Forum.

14. Arch Relief – Distribution of Largesse • What is the subject matter? • A largesse is the bestowing of money or gifts • What is the message (CA) • Associates Constantine with the “Good Emperors” of 2nd century Imperial Rome because he too is serving the greater good of the people – PRAGMATIC RULER

15. How is Constantines message visually presented? (FA) • Constantine sits in a throne-like seat • He is shown distributing money to grateful citizens below • His frontal pose and throne create a majestic presences – sets up Christian composition that uses frontal hierarchial scale • The citizens are shown from the side and are close together and their bodies can be described as squat or compressed. They have their hands raised to receive • Lacks Naturalism: They do not move according to classical pediment or frieze sculptures and the shallow relief means they are not very modeled/lacking naturalism • Their repeated stances and gestures make them look like puppets so that we can immediately focus on Constantine and his distribution of money – serves the popular audience because it is easier to read = POLITICAL PURPOSE NOT A DECLINE IN ART ABILITIES

16. Compare the two artworks. HOW IS CONSTATINE’S TYPE OF PROPAGANDA SIMILAR AND DIFFERRENT FROM THAT OF AUGUSTUS? • How does Constantine’s portrayal of himself and the corresponding stylistic changes begin to hint at a shift towards Christianity?