EMPEROR OF THE DAY:

ConstantineReign: 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

– The Chi-Rho Monogram

• 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”

In hoc signo vinces“In this sign you will conquer”

Legalization of Christianity• 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 CONSTANTINEc.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

The Colosseum is next door

Inscription: SPQR to Constantine – who saved Rome from ‘tyrant’ Maxentius

3- way arch : Main arch and two secondary arches

8 detached Corinthian Columns surround arch

The Inscription

Photo: http://sights.seindal.dk/

“To the emperor Caesar Flavius Constantine Maximus,Pius Felix Augustus, since through divine inspiration and great

wisdomhe 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!

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’

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/

HADRIANr.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’

HADRIANr.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 ‘Good Emperors’

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 FriezeCONSTANTINEr. 305-337

Constantine’s troops march into battle, laying siege to Verona. Shows the organisation and discipline of

Constantine’s army.

The Constantinian FriezeCONSTANTINEr. 305-337

Constantine’s troops slaughter Maxientius’s troops. Shows strength and superiority of

Constantine’s army.

The Constantinian FriezeCONSTANTINEr. 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 FriezeCONSTANTINEr. 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.

Match the reliefs with the correct emperor by drawing lines between the names and the reliefs

CONSTANTINE

MARCUS AURELIUS

HADRIAN

TRAJAN

See if you can complete the diagram by writing the number for each Emperor on the correct reliefs.

1 2 3 4

A Clash of Styles

Oratio – Style / Composition

Making Comparisons – Constantine vs. Titus