ARTHI 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Dura-Europos, Monstrance, Christian Art
Document Summary
Constantine was a transition between pagan and christian religion. Already looked at rome as an ancient empire. Constantine came to power in the 4th century. He was the last emperor to rule across a unified rome. Constantine reportedly won after he dreamt about an angel bearing a cross. It was odd for the emperor to take on a religion. Christianity seemed like the mystery cults, however slight differences. Christians were part of the proletariat, not patricians. Persecution caused much of christian art to be destroyed, so we can"t see domus ecclesiae, dura europas, syria. Pagans could just be cremated and urns would be buried. Christians wanted to be buried with their bodies undamaged so they could be resurrected on judgement day. Ioculi cubicula agape, reclined while eating shows high class. In the middle is the good shepherd, jesus. Image of jonah, who rose after 3 days, just as jesus did. Many pagan images but all alluding to christianity.
