Early Christian Art and Architecture Module 8 done

By the 4th century, Christianity grew as a mystery religion in Roman cities, attracting diverse social levels.
Christian theology and art were enriched via interaction with the Greco-Roman world.
Christianity was radically transformed by Constantine.

In 312, Emperor Constantine defeated Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge.
Constantine saw a sign in the heavens portending victory, described by Eusebius as the Chi Rho ( $\Chi$ $\Rho$ ), the first two letters of Christos in Greek.
In 313, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, granting religious toleration.
Christianity only became the official religion of Rome at the end of the 4th century, Constantine's sanction transformed its status.
Rome became Christian, and Christianity adopted the aura of imperial Rome.

A comparison of pre- and post-Constantinian church architecture shows a dramatic transformation.
Pre-Constantinian churches resembled typical domestic architecture.
Example: Christian community house in Dura-Europos, Syria, where a home was adapted for congregation needs.
A wall was removed to combine two rooms for services, and the baptistry was the most elaborate part, reflecting the importance of Baptism.
This domestic architecture didn't meet Constantine's architectural needs.

Emperors had constructed temples to show respect for religious practices.
Constantine constructed churches to exhibit honor of Christianity.
He built churches in Rome, including the Church of St. Peter.
He built churches in the Holy Land, notably the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.
He also built churches in Constantinople, his newly-constructed capital.

Female figure is juxtaposed with philosopher, associating her with the muse figure in ancient Greek and Roman art. This is illustrated in a 6th century miniature of Dioscorides.
Jonah is represented sleeping under ivy after being vomited from the great fish; his pose is based on the mythological figure of Endymion.
Endymion wished to sleep forever, thus becoming ageless and immortal, explaining the subject's popularity on non-Christian sarcophagi.
Another image is that of the Good Shepherd, echoing the New Testament and the Psalms of David, with parallels in Greek and Roman art such as the Moschophoros from the 6th century BCE.
The Baptism of Christ is included, referring to the importance of Baptism signifying death and rebirth into a new Christian life.

Male and female figures at the center have unfinished faces, suggesting the tomb was not made for a specific patron.
It was fabricated on a speculative basis, expecting a patron to buy it and add likenesses.
This implies a serious commitment from the maker, given the expense and time required.
The craftsman had a sense of certainty that someone would purchase it.

Constantine and his architects faced the challenge of determining the physical form of the church.
The traditional Roman temple form was inappropriate because of pagan associations and functional differences.
Temples served as treasuries and dwellings for cults, with sacrifices on outdoor altars.
Christian architecture emphasized the interior because Christianity was a mystery religion requiring initiation.
Christian churches needed large interior spaces for congregations and to separate the faithful, and to convey the new authority of Christianity.
The Christian Basilica became the core architectural form.

Basilicas were not new; Romans had been building them in cities and palace complexes.
The Basilica Ulpia, part of Emperor Trajan’s Forum, was particularly lavish.
Basilicas served as formal public meeting places, including law courts, which were housed in the apse.
The magistrate, representing the Emperor, sat on a throne in the apse and issued judgments, giving basilicas political authority.

Basilicas also served as audience halls in imperial palaces.
Constantine built a basilica in Trier (northern capital) as part of a palace complex.
The basilica served as an imposing stage for the emperor.
The emperor would make his adventus (entrance) along the central axis with his court.
This space would humble emissaries approaching the enthroned emperor in the apse.

The wide central aisle is called a nave, from the Latin word for ship (navis).
The rafters of a ceiling would resemble the ribs of an inverted ship hull.
Old St. Peter's Basilica and the Aula Palatina have a longitudinal plan, arranged along a central axis culminating at the altar.
This differed from the central plan of pagan temples like the Pantheon.

Aksum was a prosperous trading hub and early Christian state in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea.
It had a port city (Adulis) and connections to trade routes through the Red Sea, the Nile, and the Indian Ocean.
Active from the 1st through 8th centuries, it developed large-scale architecture and urban centers influenced by Arabic, Hellenic, and African cultures.
In the 1st century CE, an Alexandria-based trader documented Aksum's thriving international trade in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.
Aksum held great power during the 4th and 5th centuries and is known for monumental monolithic stelae, the Ark of the Covenant, unique coinage, and the Ge'ez script.
Between 330-340, King Ezana converted to Christianity, making Aksum one of the earliest Christian states.
King Ezana replaced existing imagery on his coins with a Christian cross to mark this transition.
Aksumite coins were for international trade, evidenced by Greek and Ge'ez inscriptions.
Aksum provides a counterpoint to the Greek and Roman worlds and is an example of a sub-Saharan civilization flourishing alongside the Mediterranean empires.
It shows the extent of international commerce and was arguably as advanced as Western European societies at the time.