THE LATE EMPIRE AND THE RISE OF CHRISTIANITY

CONSTANTINE

PANTHEON REVIEW

• 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?

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?

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

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

An early image of Christ in Rome:

ALEXAMENOS GRAFFITO

Alexamenos was a Roman soldierThe inscription in Greek reads “Alexamenos worships his God”

Arch of ConstantineWhat are the facts? (F)Architect: NAPatron: Emperor ConstantineTitle: Arh of ConstantineDate: 312 CEPeriod/Style: Late EmpireSize: MonumentalFindspot: 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

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

Why was it Created• 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

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 - RotundelsMarcus Aurelius Reliefs

• 1st leve: 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.

Arch Relief – Distribution of LargesseWhat 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

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

• 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?