Late Antiquity saw the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire from the 3rd to 6th centuries CE. Key figures like Constantine and Theodosius established Christianity as the official religion, replacing traditional paganism. Art from this period shows syncretism by adapting pagan imagery for Christian and Jewish narratives. Major monuments incorporated spolia, or recycled materials, from older structures. Church architecture evolved from the basilica plan to centralized designs like Santa Costanza in Rome.

1. The Art of Late Antiquity
Reading: Key Monuments:
Stokstad, 217-233  Jewish Catacomb, Villa
Torlonia, Rome, 3rd century CE
Range:  Good Shepherd, Orants, and
c. 200 CE-476 CE the Story of Jonah, Catacomb
of SS. Peter and
Late Antique Marcellinus, Rome, Late 3rd-
Early 4th century
Key Terms/Concepts:  The Parting of the Red
syncretism, catacomb, narrative Sea, Torah Niche, House
image, iconic image, orant, torah Synagogue, Dura
niche, baptistery, chi- Europos, 244-45 CE.
rho, basilica, centrally  Parting of Abraham and
planned, spolia, Christianity, Juda Lot, Santa Maria
ism, Mithraism, proselytizing, Maggiore, Rome, c. 422-432
CE.

2. Rome
100 CE 200 CE 312 CE
of 60 million people of 60 million people of 60 million people no
fewer than 10,000 about 200,000 were more than 5.5 million
were Christians. Christians. people were Christians.

3. Menorah
Trumpets
Spoils Relief, Arch of Titus, Rome, 81 CE

4. Menorah Ark of the Covenant Menorah
Jewish Catacomb, Villa Torlonia, Rome, 3rd century CE

5. Narrative Image
Jonah
Peter
Good Shepherd, Orants, and the Story of Jonah, Catacomb of
SS. Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, Late 3rd-Early 4th century

6. Jonah given to the whale Jonah being cast up Jonah resting under the arbor
Figures from the Story of Jonah, Turkey (?), Late Third Century
CE

7. Sarcophagus with
Endymion, early 3rd
Century CE
Syncretism is the conscious or unconscious adaptation of
images from one tradition to another, giving the image a new
meaning.
Sarcophagus with
Jonah, c. 270 BCE

8. Iconic Image
“The Lord is my shepherd:
therefore can I lack
nothing. He shall feed me
in a green pasture: and
lead me forth beside the Good Shepherd
waters of comfort […]
Yea, though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of
death, I will fear no evil: for
thou art with me […] thy
loving-kindness and mercy
shall follow me all the days
of my life: and I will dwell
in the house ofPeter
the Lord for
ever.”
Good Shepherd, Orants, and the Story of Jonah, Catacomb of
SS. Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, Late 3rd-Early 4th century

9. Syncretism is the conscious or unconscious adaptation of
images from one tradition to another, giving the image a new
meaning.
The Good Shepherd, Turkey Hermes Kriophoros, Crete, 620
(?), Late Third Century CE BCE

10. Iconic Image
Peter
Good Shepherd, Orants, and the Story of Jonah, Catacomb of
SS. Peter and Marcellinus, Rome, Late 3rd-Early 4th century

11. Orant Figures
Orant Figure Man with raised
(Jonah), Turkey (?), Late arms, Arlon, Belgium, c.
Third Century CE. 3rd century CE

12. Dura Europos, Syria

13. Dura Europos, Syria, Aerial View.

14. Dura Europos
Mithraeum
House Synagogue
House Church
Built c. 300 BCE Inhabited until 256 CE.

15. Dura Europos
Mithraeum
House Synagogue
House Church
Built c. 300 BCE. Inhabited until 256 CE.

16. House Synagogue (Exterior), Dura
Europos, Syria, 244-245.

17. Assembly Room
House Synagogue (Plan), Dura
Europos, Syria, 244-245.

18. Torah
Niche
Torah Niche, House Synagogue, Dura
Europos,244-45.

19. Torah Niche, Dura
Europos, c. 244-245 CE
Torah Reading, Congregation Beth Israel.

20. Prophets
The
Aaron at his Temple of
Miraculous Closed Temple
Temple Dagon
Well
Elijah reviving Mordechai being led to Torah Samuel
a Child Achashverosh Niche anointing Adoption of Moses
David
Torah Niche, House Synagogue, Dura
Europos,244-45.

21. Hands of God
*Continuous Narrative
Egyptian Soldiers
Egyptian Soldiers Moses
Moses
The Parting of the Red Sea, Torah Niche, House
Synagogue, Dura Europos, 244-45 CE

22. Dura Europos
Mithraeum
House Synagogue
House Church
Built c. 300 BCE. Inhabited until 256 CE.

23. Christian House Church, Dura
Europos, Syria, c. 244-245 CE

24. Baptistery, House Church, Dura Europos, 244-245 CE

25. Reconstruction of the Baptistery, House Church, Dura
Europos, 244-245 CE

26. Good Shepherd Leading His Flock, Baptistery, House
Church, Dura Europos, 244-245 CE

27. Reconstruction Drawing
Christ Healing the Paralyzed, Baptistery, House
Church, Dura Europos, 244-245 CE

28. Dura Europos
Mithraeum
House Synagogue
House Church
Built c. 300 BCE. Inhabited until 256 CE.

29. Reconstruction of the Mithraeum, Dura
Europos, 168-210 CE

30. Shrine to Mithras, Mithraeum, Dura
Europos, 168-210 CE

31. Reconstruction of the
Shrine, Mithraeum, Dura Europos, 168-210

32. Slaying the Mithran Bull, Mithraeum, Dura
Europos, 210 CE

33. Constantine and Christianity
*Constantine legalizes Christianity by signing
“Under this the Edict of Milan in 313 CE
sign, conquer.”

34. Constantine and Christianity
Licinius also stopped *This is seen as a land conflict but also a
honoring the Edict of
Milan, persecuting defense of the Christians by Constantine.
Christians in his lands.

35. Constantine and Christianity
Constantine converted *Throughout his reign Constantine financially
to Christianity on his
deathbed in 337.
supported both pagan and Christian building
projects.

36. Basilicas
Basilica of Trajan, Rome, 112 Aula Palatina, Trier, 300-325

37. Aula Palatina, Trier, 4th century CE
Basilica Ulpia, Forum of Trajan, Rome, 112-
117, dedicated 117 CE.

38. Centrally Planned Churches
Church of Santa Costanza Mausoleum of
Plan, Rome, c. 350 CE Augustus, Rome, c. 14

39. Mausoleum of Augustus, Rome, c. 14 CE
Church of Santa Costanza, Rome, c. 350 CE

40. Church of Santa Costanza Plan, Rome, c. 350 CE

41. Dionysus Seated Among
Vines, House of the
Masks, Delos Late 2nd Century
BCE
John 15:1-17 “I am the true vine, and my
Father is the vinedresser…”
Wine Making, Church of Santa Costanza, Rome, c. 350 CE

42. Christianity under Theodosius
395 CE
Theodosius divides the Roman Empire
into Eastern and Western regions.
*Theodosius I asserted Christianity as the official religion
of the Roman Empire in 380 and ordered the
dismantlement of all pagan temples and monuments in
Theodosius I (379-395) 391.

43. Christianity after Theodosius
395 CE
Theodosius divides the Roman Empire
into Eastern and Western regions.
Byzantine Empire
*The successors of Theodosius I continued to
strengthen Christianity as a powerful force in
both the East and the West.
Honorius I (395-423)

44. Church of Santa Sabina, Rome, c. 422-432.

45. Spolia
Church of Santa Sabina, Rome, c. 422-432.

46. Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, c. 432-440.

47. Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, c. 432-440.

48. Parting of Abraham and Lot, Santa Maria
Maggiore, Rome, c. 422-432.

49. The Sack of Jericho, Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome, c. 422-
432.

50. The Virgin Crowned as Queen of Heaven, Santa Maria
Maggiore, Rome, Apsidal Mosaic redone in 1294 by Jacopo Torriti.

51. The Fall of the Western Empire
395 CE
Theodosius divides the Roman Empire
into Eastern and Western regions.
402
418 476
410
Byzantine Empire
*By 476, all of Italy was under the control of the Ostrogoths.

52. The Conquest of the West
Byzantine Empire
“An able Goth wants to be like a Roman; only a
poor Roman would want to be like a Goth.”
–Theodoric, King of the Visigoths

53. Critical Thinking Questions
1. What role did Constantine and Theodosius
play in the art and religion of the late Roman
Empire?
2. What is syncretism? How is it used in early
Christian and Jewish art?
3. What is spolia? How does it manifest in Late
Antiquity?
4. How does the basilica change in Late
Antiquity?