History 2 / Unit 1 / Visual Evidence 1D
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
The trans-regional, cosmopolitan
Roman Empire fostered cultural
exchanges across borders, including the creative cross-fertilization
of religious art and ideas.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-1
Model of Roman Jerusalem
The massive development of the Temple
complex by King Herod followed Hellenistic
and Roman conventions for imperial urban
design and architectural details.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-2
Theater, Roman Jerusalem
An example of the infusion of Hellenistic
culture into Roman-controlled Palestine.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-3
Roman Jerusalem, City Plan
In what ways has the city been transformed
by the Roman presence? Compare with earlier city plans?
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-4
The Spoils of Jerusalem
Relief panel from the Arch of Titus
Rome, Italy, after 81 CE.
Relief from the Arch of Titus showing the emperor Titus after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Spoils from the temple of Jerusalem, including
the Menorah, a seven-branched candlestick,
are carried in the triumphal procession.
The Roman destruction of Jerusalem began
the Jewish diaspora that planted Jewish communities throughout the Roman Empire and
beyond.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-5
Wall Painting featuring the Ark of the Covenant and Menorah
Wherever the Jews went in the course of
their wanderings, they endeavored to preserve this custom of their fathers as far as
permitted; and they did so at Rome, in lower
Italy, Carthage, Cyrene, etc. The Talmud gives a
detailed description of this kind of tomb, the
chief characteristic of which is that the bodies
were placed in niches in the subterranean
vaults. The Christian catacombs doubtless
originated in imitation of this Jewish custom.
The underground burial sites feature tombs
carved into the volcanic stone. During the
3rd and 4th century CE the catacombs were
fully developed and contained several thousand burial sites. Some sites have decorations
such as flowers and animals, and also Jewish
faith subjects such as the Ark of the Covenant and the Menorah.
Visual Evidence 1D ~
Cultural Exchanges in the Roman Empire
History 2, Unit 1
Image # 1D-6
Hellenization of Judaism
From a sarcophagus in the Jewish catacomb of the Vigna Randanini in Rome, 4th century, C.E. The Jewish menorah co-exists here with motifs of Hellenistic
pagan art, such as personifications of the seasons and the three putti (cubby child figures) treading grapes.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-7
(Left)
Bronze statue of Isis nursing Horus
Egypt, 600-30 BCE
The Egyptian god Isis was worshipped as the
mother goddess, the goddess of fertility, and
was married to Osiris. Osiris was murdered
by Isis’ brother but was brought back to life
long enough to conceive a son, Horus. Horus
avenged his father’s death and became king.
(Right)
Isis Nuring Horus
Egyptian, Third Intermediate Period, Dynasty
21–25, 1070–656 B.C.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-8
Roman Isis Ritual
A fresco from the buried Roman city of
Herculaneum, destroyed by the eruption of
Mt. Vesuvius in 79 C.E., depicts a ceremony
at a temple of Isis. In the center, at the top of
the steps, a priest holds a covered urn. The
priestess to his right shakes a rattle, and to his
left a Black priest holds a staff. The multiethnic worshipers gather below, where another
Black priest watches over a priestess sacrificing ducks, joined by one musician playing a
flute and others shaking rattles.
This and other polytheistic (or “pagan”)
religious ceremonies were held in full public
view, consistent with the policies of ancient
governments that generally forbade secret
meetings of any kind of organization. Why do
you think there might have been Black participants at religious rites honoring the goddess Isis?
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-9
Parthian Mithras
Provenance: unknown but apparently
from Roman Syria.
Mithraism, the worship of Mithra, the Persian
god of the sun, justice, contract, and war in
pre-Zoroastrian Iran. Known as Mithras in
the Roman Empire during the 2nd and 3rd
centuries C.E., this deity was honored as the
patron of loyalty to the emperor.
The most important Mithraic ceremony was
the sacrifice of the bull. The central scene
shows Mithras, in Parthian-style clothes, and
wearing boots, killing the bull. On his belt
hang two sheaths containing daggers or
swords, and he holds a third in his right hand.
The central scene shows a conventional
Mithras, in Parthian-style clothes, and wearing
boots, killing the bull. On his belt hang two
sheaths containing daggers or swords, and he
holds a third in his right hand.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-10
Roman Mithras
2nd or 3rd century
found at Fiano Romano, near Rome.
Roman Mithraism, like Iranian Mithraism, was
a religion of loyalty toward the emperor.
It seems to have been encouraged by the
emperors, especially Commodus (180–192),
Septimius Severus (193–211), and Caracalla
(211–217). Most adherents of Mithra known
to us from inscriptions are soldiers of both
low and high rank, officials in the service
of the emperor, imperial slaves, and freedmen (who quite often were very influential
people)—persons who probably knew which
god would lead them to quick promotion.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-11
Mithratic Banquet Hall
Underneath the Basilica of San Clemente
Rome, 2nd century
The main way of celebrating in this religion
was to have great banquets. In the lower level
of the San Clemente diggings there’s a fine
Mithraic dining room. The Bull in this myth
was the symbol of fertility, and the religion
was a cosmic, seasonal one. The banquets and
ceremonies usually took place underground,
in grottoes. Stars were often painted on the
ceiling to represent the heavens.
The religion was severely moral, loyalty and
fidelity being extolled above all else. Consecration to Mithras guaranteed salvation, for
Mithras had won life for the world and was
himself in heaven as reward for his obedience
to the message of Apollo.
After the acceptance of Christianity by the
emperor Constantine in the early 4th century,
Mithraism rapidly declined.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-12
Hellenization of Early Christianity:
Jesus as Roman Shepard Boy
12a
This graceful statue blends Greek and Roman influences with a Christian subject. The
casual pose of the shepherd with his easy
contrapposto and dreamy gaze shows that
the influence of Praxiteles, the fourth-century
B.C. Greek sculptor, was still strong in Roman
art after more than five centuries. The short
cloak worn by the figure was a typical costume of shepherds in the art of the times.
12b
Jesus as Shepard
Eastern Mediterranean, probably Anatolia
(Turkey). Second half of the 3rd century.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-13
Jesus as Greek Philosopher
Cubiculum of Leonis,
Catacomb of Commodilla,
Rome, late 4th c.
In this Roman catacomb painting, Peter
strikes a rock and water flows from
it. Peter became rock on which Jesus
founded the church. In the right niche,
two martyrs flank Jesus who is considered a teacher. On the ceiling star-studded heavens are painted and the face of
Jesus floats above, with the inscriptions
for alpha and omega. Jesus takes on the
role of a greek philosopher. The halo
around his head indicates his divinity.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-14
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus,
359 C.E.
The Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus is a
marble sarcophagus from the early Christian
era used for the burial of Junius Bassus, who
died in 359 in Rome. It has been described
as “probably the single most famous piece of
early Christian relief sculpture.” The sarcophagus is decorated with elaborate carvings of
Christian themes, and a complicated iconographic program embracing the Old and
New Testaments. The sarcophagus has been
seen as reflecting a blending of late Hellenistic style with the emerging Roman style.
top register:
Sacrifice of Isaac, St. Peter taken Prisoner,
Christ Enthroned between Peter and Paul,
Jesus before Pontius Pilate (two compartments)
bottom register:
Suffering of Job, Temptation of Adam and
Eve, Jesus’ Entry into Jerusalem, Daniel in the
Lion’s Den, St. Paul led to his martyrdom.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-14a
Sarcophagus of Junius Bassus
(detail)
The detail shown here depicts Christ
enthroned between Peter and Paul, with
his feet on the head of Caelus, the classical
personification of the heavens, symbolizing
his displacement of the pagan gods. Christ
is presented a youthful, beardless figure
with shortish hair (though longer than
that of other figures), which is typical of
Christian art at this period. Christ appears
in the center, between his chief followers,
Peter and Paul. Christ hands Peter a scroll,
probably representing the Gospels, as emperors were often shown doing to their
heirs, ministers or generals.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-15
Madonna and Child,
Ethiopia
Christianity took root slowly in Ethiopia from the
third decade of the 4th century. Some 150 years
later, missionaries from Syria translated the Bible
into Ethiopic. The Islamic conquest of neighboring Egypt in 640-641 isolated Ethiopia from other
Christian countries for the best part of a millennium. The Ethiopic Church was able to maintain only
tenuous links with the rest of Christianity through
the Coptic Church in Egypt, which managed to
survive under its country’s Islamic rulers.
This particular icon features Mary, called the Holy
Mother of God by Ethiopian Christians, with the
Christ child on one side. On the other, the Covenant of Mercy is depicted. Like many icons produced at the Gondar workshops, this one is a
diptych. Comprised of two panels hinged together,
diptychs were often small in size and could be
folded in half for greater portability, a quality that
made them a favored form of devotional art in
Europe as well as Africa. Although the primary function of icons was the facilitation of communication
with the divine, in Ethiopia, icons were also believed
to have the power to ward off evil. Objects such as
the one pictured here were often worn about the
neck as amulets.
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-16
Madonna and Child
Ethiopia
Visual Evidence 1D
History 2, Unit 1
Cultural Exchanges
in the Roman Empire
Image # 1D-17
Jesus and John the Baptist
Ethiopia