Transcript THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE

EMPEROR OF THE
DAY:
Constantine
Reign: 305 - 337AD
Achievements:
- Reunified the Roman empire
- styled himself after the “five good emperors” of the
100s
- changed the course of history by adopting
Christianity as the religion of the roman empire
BACKGROUND: The Tetrarchy
• Roman Emperor, Diocletian creates the tetrarchy
• Eastern & Western: each had an Augustus, supported by a
Caesar
• The four were supposed to rule together
• Diocletian and Maximian: Diocletian’s Self-Imposed Exile
(305 CE)
• Constantius and Galerius: from Caesares to Augusti
• Constantius dies … his son Constantine assumes power (in
York) as an Augustus
• Constantine’s rise is contested by Maxentius son of Maximian
• Civil War begins between Constantine and Maxentius
The New Roman Empire
The Triumph of Constantine
• Battle at Milvian Bridge outside of Rome – October 28, 312 A.D.
• Constantine’s Vision
In hoc signo vinces
– The Chi-Rho Monogram
“In this sign you will conquer”
• Uneasy Peace between Constantine (west) and Licinius (east): 312-314
A.D. until he defeats Licinius.
• Constantine extends Diocletianic program
– Sub-divisions of power
– Dichotomy between civil and military service
– Unwieldy bureaucracy
– Attempt to “freeze society”
Legalization of Christianity
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Occurs in 313 A.D. with the Edict of Milan
– Ending 250 years of persecution
Judicial authority given to bishops
– Help maintain order
Lord’s Day becomes Holy Day (321 A.D.)
– From Saturday (Sabbath) to Sunday (Sun god)
• Christianity using established Roman celebrations
Imperial revenue subsidized the Church
Constantine and successors gradually increase imperial support for Christianity
Uneasy Peace between Constantine (west) and Licinius (east): 312-314 A.D.
Licinius defeated at Adrianople (Balkans, northwest of Byzantium)
Constantine extends Diocletianic program
– Sub-divisions of power
– Dichotomy between civil and military service
– Unwieldy bureaucracy
– Attempt to “freeze society”
A Christian Empire: Ecumenical Council at Nicaea (325 A.D.)
– Council called by Constantine to preserve order in the Empire
Inauguration of Constantinople (Byzantium; Istanbul)
– Built by Constantine in 330 A.D. as the new Rome
THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE : the largest of the surviving
arches in Rome – Septimus, Titus both in the Forum Romanum
THE ARCH OF
CONSTANTINE
c.315AD
Made of Marble
West of the Colosseum on
the road (via sacra) to the
forum
Height: 21m
Length: 25.7m
Depth: 7.4m
Built to commemorate
Constantine’s victory at the
battle of Milvian Bridge over
his rival Maxentius
Main Features of the Arch
Inscription: SPQR to Constantine –
who saved Rome from ‘tyrant’
Maxentius
The
Colosseum is
next door
8 detached
Corinthian
Columns
surround arch
3- way arch : Main arch and two
secondary arches
The Inscription
Photo: http://sights.seindal.dk/
“To the emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine Maximus,
Pius Felix Augustus, since through divine inspiration and great wisdom
he has delivered the state from the tyrant and all his factions,
by his army and noble arms, the Senate and the Roman People,
dedicate this arch decorated with triumphal insignia.”
Constantine’s ‘Recycled’ Sculpture
Why?
• Lack of skilled artisans in Rome at the time
• Lack of time to complete the required reliefs
• Constantine’s desire to be identified with ‘good emperors’
• To make the best arch ever!
The ‘Good Emperors’
MARCUS
AURELIUS
r.161-180
Scenes from Marcus
Aurelius’ campaigns
against Germanic tribes
(eg making a speech to
his men and speaking to
captives). The man
standing on the right is a
Dacian prisoner from
Trajan’s Forum.
The ‘Good Emperors’
TRAJAN
r.98-117
This is part of a frieze
from Trajan’s
campaigns against
the Dacians, showing
the emperor in battle
on horseback. The
Trajanic works all
came from Trajan’s
Forum.
Photo: http://sights.seindal.dk/
The ‘Good Emperors’
HADRIAN
r.117-138
This roundel
shows Hadrian on
a boar hunt. The
head of the
Emperor has
been remodeled
to look like
Constantine.
The ‘Good Emperors’
HADRIAN
r.117-138
The Emperor also
hunts a lion. On the
alternate roundels,
the Emperor Hadrian
/ Constantine makes
a sacrifice to a god
(Silvanus, Diana or
Apollo).
The Constantianian Reliefs
Winged Victories in the spandrels of the
arch represent the triumph of Constantine /
the strength of Rome
The Constantianian Reliefs
The roundels on outsides of the arch have
representations of the Sun (Sol) and Moon
(Luna) gods.
The Constantianian Frieze
Content of frieze: Scenes from Constantine’s campaign against
Maxentius (for more details, see Campbell, pages 35-39)
The Constantinian Frieze
CONSTANTINE
r. 305-337
Constantine’s troops march into battle, laying siege to Verona.
Shows the organisation and discipline of Constantine’s army.
The Constantinian Frieze
CONSTANTINE
r. 305-337
Constantine’s troops slaughter Maxientius’s troops.
Shows strength and superiority of Constantine’s army.
The Constantinian Frieze
CONSTANTINE
r. 305-337
The donatio relief shows Constantine giving out money to Romans – he
is a generous Emperor. Note the people turned towards him.
The Constantinian Frieze
CONSTANTINE
r. 305-337
The oratio relief shows Constantine making a speech to Romans – he is
an engaging speaker/orator. Note that he is on a higher level.
CONSTANTINE
MARCUS
AURELIUS
HADRIAN
TRAJAN
Match the
reliefs with the
correct emperor
by drawing lines
between the
names and the
reliefs
1
2
3
4
See if you can complete the diagram by writing the number for
each Emperor on the correct reliefs.
A Clash of Styles
Oratio – Style / Composition
Making Comparisons –
Constantine vs. Titus