Late Antiquity: Jewish, Early Christian & Byzantine Art

Jews, Christians and Muslims All 3 are monotheistic (only one god exists) JEWS—God made a covenant (pact) with their ancestors (Hebrews) that they are the chosen people. They await a savior (Messiah) CHRISTIANS—believe Jesus is that Messiah (Christ is from the Greek word meaning, “messiah”. He took human form, preached, was executed, rose from the dead and ascended to heaven MUSLIMS—accept Hebrew prophets and acknowledge Jesus but see Muhammad to be last and greatest prophet of God (6 centuries after Jesus) we’ll talk about this later in the semester

Jews, Christians and Muslims All 3 are “religions of the book”—have written records of God’s will and words Torah (teachings); Nevi’im (prophets); Ketuvim (writings)—Jewish Bible—Christian (Old Testament are the Hebrew scriptures with New Testament) Koran (Qur’an)--Muslim

Moses—prophet who led his people out of slavery in Egypt to Canaan He climbs a top Mount Sinai where he receives the 10 Commandments (law tablets) Tablets are kept in a gold-covered wooden box=The Ark of the Covenant First Temple—destroyed in 586 BCE by Babylonians. Rebuilt after 539 BCE and called 2nd Temple

Interior of the synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria,with wall paintings of Old Testament themes, ca.245–256.Tempera on plaster. Reconstruction in National Museum, Damascus.

Wall with Torah Niche from the house-synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria Wall with Torah Niche from the house-synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria*. 244-245 CE

Detail from the house-synagogue, Dura-Europos, Syria

Synagogues– Jewish “house of prayer” usually has a large hall for prayer, smaller rooms for study and sometimes a social hall and offices. Sometimes called “temple” but not a consecrated place or necessary for worship. 10 Jews=ability to worship Besides house-synagogues, Jews built some designed like Roman basilicas.

Synagogue Floor From Ancient Menois c Synagogue Floor From Ancient Menois c. 530 CE --mosaic --lions of Judah --menorah --shofar (ram’s horn) --3 citrons (for harvest festival, Sukkot)

Early Christianity The New Covenant The old law is not the way to find God’s pleasure, loving God and your neighbor is the way instead Christian belief that Jesus Christ’s death was meant to be a sacrifice for the sin of all people Early Christianity

Factors leading to the spread of Christianity Jesus Christ born at the height of the Roman Empire, during the Pax Romana The Advancement of civilization during the Roman Empire Better roads, more universal language (Greek) Paul’s letters to followers Christians actually persecuted for about 300 years Conversion of the Roman Emperor, Constantine

“The Spread of Christianity”

Early Christian Art Coin of the Emperor Valens, 364-7. Holding Labarum with Cross. Joshua at the Battle of Jericho, mosaic from the nave of Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, c. 432-440.

Basilicas When Constantine became the patron of Christianity, he wanted to construct churches. This motivation is like earlier Roman Emperors who also gave physical testament to their power and piety by constructing temples. The forms of the pre-Constantinian Christian buildings were inappropriate . The traditional Roman temple type was inappropriate considering its association with Pagan cults. → Have students guess why Roman/Greek temples would not be compatible with Christianity.

Basilicas Reorientation of religious architecture from an architecture of the exterior to an architecture of the interior. Constantine and his Church planners needed an architecture that had meaning in the Roman world. Totally new architectural forms would not be as effective as architectural forms that carried meaning. This led to use of category of Roman building known as the basilica. Ask after second point why they couldn’t just make up a new type of building.

Saint Peter’s Basilica

Basilicas Roman basilicas served places for public gatherings: law courts, financial centers, army drill halls, reception rooms in imperial palaces. Roman cities would regularly have a Basilica as a central public building. It was, like our City Hall, a center of public power.

Basilicas These basilicas regularly had an architectural form we call an apse. The apse was a semi-circular projection usually off the short wall of the rectangular building. The apse was the site of the law court. It would be here that the magistrate would dispense the law. Note how the artist suggested the apse context of this scene by framing it within a semicircle.

Basilicas Basilicas were also adapted to the function as audience halls as part of palace complexes. Palace Basilica of Constantine in the northern German town of Trier.