ROMAN FORUM; Arch Of Titus; Temple of Venus and Rome; Cloaca Maxima; Temple of Vesta; INTERESTING FACTS; Palatine Hill. The right hand of the Constantine Colossus, mistakenly restored to the pointing formation (it should have been positioned to hold a scepter or spear). 8. This website uses cookies to enhance your user experience. In the Life of Constantine I.30-31 Eusebius describes how after his vision of Christ prior to the battle with Maxentius, he instructed a standard to be made which was gilded with gold and jewels, and bore Christ’s initials, the Greek letters Chi and Rho. It seems that the head has been cut from a previously existing statue, as there are square dowels cut into the temples, indicating the locks of hair were added to an existing head. By 325 he had succeeded in reunifying the empire, having defeated the last of his former tetrarchic colleagues, the eastern emperor Licinius. However, the emperor, knowing that his help had come from God, did not indulge in these acclamations, but rather at once ordered a trophy of Christ’s passion to be set up in the hand of a statue of himself. It is possible, therefore, that a statue of a previous emperor was remodelled after the victory in 312 CE to represent Constantine (Constantine, p. 206-207). The marble is a combination of Parian and Carrara. It is likely that Constantine’s expression on the colossus was understood within this framework, in which the emperor was filled with divine power. Indeed, as Bardill observes, the fact that the statue seems to have once held something supports this theory. Arch of Constantine. Constantinople. Colossus of Constantine Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of The Colossus of Constantine . From what we can deduce from Eusebius—and it must of course always be borne in mind that his portrayal of the emperor as the archetypal Christian ruler is highly stylised—the relationship between the emperor, the Roman army, and the Christian deity had evolved since Tertullian and Justin Martyr’s day. A Christian soldier is imprisoned because he refuses to wear the laurel crown, The contradiction between Roman military service and God’s laws, The hidden symbolism in Rome’s displays of power, The Colossus of ConstantineAuthor(s) of this publication: Kimberley FowlerPublishing date: Wed, 04/11/2018 - 22:59URL: https://www.judaism-and-rome.org/colossus-constantineVisited: Thu, 01/21/2021 - 00:24, Copyright ©2014-2019, All rights reserved About the project - ERC Team - Conditions of Use, Re-thinking Judaism’s Encounter with the Roman Empire. Earlier Christian writers had struggled to accept the idea of Christians within Rome’s military ranks, seeing the two as fundamentally opposed. The Colossus is no longer intact, but portions of it are now kept in the Courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini on Rome’s Capitoline Hill, above the west end of the Forum. The back of the forearm, as well as the head, are flat, which suggests the statue was in direct contact with a wall. In addition to the head, there was also a closed right hand found at the basilica, which has a break at the thumb. A prosito dei tre frammenti bronzei dei Musei Capitolini”, Aurea Roma: Dalla città pagana alla città cristiana, “Remarques sur l’iconographie de Constantin. For those who looked upon this great statue, Constantine’s depiction would not have struck them as drastically departing from Roman tradition. The fragments, which are made of Parian and Carrara marble, include the head and neck, the right leg from the knee to the foot, the left leg below the knee and the left foot, part of the right arm and the right hand. For instance, in the group sculpture of the Tetrarchs, dating from the turn of the fourth century, only the young caesars are clean shaven (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Venice_%E2%80%93_The_Tetrarchs_03.jpg). It has also been argued that Maxentius first reused a second-century colossus, perhaps originally of Hadrian, which Constantine later reworked to resemble himself, just as earlier reliefs were incorporated into Constantine's arch by recutting of the imperial heads. Holding on to pagan traditions in the early Christian era: The Symmachi Panel. Constantine’s face, which is clean shaven, has a placid expression with large, deeply carved eyes directed towards heaven. 35 meters) versus the 70 cubits of the Colossus of Rhodes (32 meters). Portions of the Colossus, from the New Basilica on the Velia, now reside in the Courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini, on the Capitoline Hill. The marble friezes were re-used from earlier imperial monuments so that the overall impression is a lack of a coherent style. After his victory over Maxentius, Constantine’s official portraits adopted a new style. Fragments of the statue, discovered in 1486 in the western apse of the Basilica Nova, are now in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Capitoline Museums. Instead of creating a new style or a new iconography, it made the necessary adaptations to Pagan traditions and drew on them. The Colossus of Constantine (Italian: Statua Colossale di Costantino I) was a huge acrolithic statue of the late Roman emperor Constantine the Great (c. 280–337) that once occupied the west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius near the Forum Romanum in Rome. The Colossus of Constantine Arch of Constantine, Rome The Symmachi Panel Palmyra Browse this content Palmyra: the modern destruction of an ancient city Temple of Bel Palmyrene Funerary Portraiture Temple of Baalshamin. But the dimensions of the colossus of Nero were larger: it was 119-foot-high (ca. Possibly, this was added after he adopted the diadem after 324 CE, following his defeat of Licinius. 3). Arch of Constantine, Roman Empire, Rome, Italy, 312-315 CE Answer these questions:-What is the story of Constantine’s conversion to Christianity?Why was this so significant? By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University’s usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the The colossus appears to have been carved from an existing statue, possibly of Hadrian (see Cécile Evers, “Remarques sur l’iconographie de Constantin,” p. 794). The marble indicates that it was reworked, as Parian marble was not imported to Rome beyond the Hadrianic era (see Linda Safran, “What Constantine Saw,” p. 43 n. 2). Only small parts of it are left intact, including the head and a hand (fig. Safran looks to late-Roman understandings of the eye as an active organ, which shaped the objects it beheld and had the power to transform them (e.g. [JWO: the image here actually shows fragments of the colossal bronze statue of Constantius II (ruled 337-61 AD)] The great head is carved in a typical, abstract, Constantinian style (“hieratic emperor style”) of late Roman portrait statues, whereas … Antiquité, “Eusebius on Constantine: Truth and Hagiography at the Milvian Bridge”, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, “What Constantine Saw: Reflections on the Capitoline Colossus, Visuality, and Early Christian Studies”. In the colossus, especially if it can indeed be connected with Eusebius’s narrative, the classic Augustan imagery of a divinely chosen leader liberating the Roman people and taking the empire forward into a new golden age is drawn upon and adapted, reimagined to include a pious emperor who recognised that true strength was found in the God of the Christians. It is also interesting to note in connection with Eusebius’s claims that Constantine’s statue was furnished with a “trophy” of the cross, that Justin Martyr in his First Apology LV.4-8 viewed Roman vexilla and trophies as unwittingly representing Christ’s cross due to their T-Bar shape. See the commentary for a discussion of this. This unique portrait has many highly distinctive features including a square jaw, projecting dimpled chin, carefully arranged locks, and an aquiline nose. As Jaś Elsner explains, the colossus differs from earlier representations of emperors in that Constantine is not depicted with a beard, despite earlier portraits of the emperor where he does indeed have one (e.g. about Solidus depicting the head of Constantine celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of his rule (335 CE), about Tertullian, On the Military Garland I.1-4, about Tertullian, On the Military Garland XI.1-4, about Justin Martyr, First Apology LV.4-8, about Eusebius of Caesarea, Life of Constantine I.26, 28-29, head_right_knee_cap_right_hand_left_lower_leg_right_foot_left_knee_cap.jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Venice_%E2%80%93_The_Tetrarchs_03.jpg, Solidus depicting the head of Constantine celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of his rule, 335 CE, Solidus depicting the head of Constantine celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of his rule (335 CE). Another candidate of the statue mentioned by Eusebius is the Statue of Constantine at the Lateran, Constantine, Divine Emperor of the Christian Golden Age by Jonathan Bardill, Constantine: Roman Emperor, Christian Victor by Paul Stephenson, The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine edited by Noel Emmanuel Lenski, Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century edited by Kurt Weitzmann, The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea, Capitoline Museums Album (Byzantine Legacy Flickr), Colossal statue of Constantine (Musei Capitolini), The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine, Constantine, Divine Emperor of the Christian Golden Age, Constantine: Roman Emperor, Christian Victor, The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine, Age of Spirituality: Late Antique and Early Christian Art, Third to Seventh Century. The emerging abstraction that is present in the Colossus of Constantine came to be associated with _____. Dec. 30, 2020. no. It measures 620 by 513 feet (189 by 156 metres) and could hold as many as 50,000 spectators. Portions of the Colossus now reside in the Courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini, on the Capitoline Hill, above the west end of the Forum. Colossus of Constantine Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of The Colossus of Constantine . Emperor Constantine I, also known as Constantine the Great, was sole leader of the Roman Empire from 325 until his death in 337. The large, otherworldly eyes of the colossus have been the subject of much discussion, with many seeing them as intended to represent the emperor’s spirituality and connection to God. Only parts of the Colossus remain, including the head that is over eight feet tall and 6.5 feet long. The Colossus of Constantine, c. 312-15 (Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome). Millennium: Jahrbuch zu Kultur und Geschichte des ersten Jahrtausends n. Chr. Moreover, as Bardill argues, the upward gaze was also adopted in late antiquity for philosophers, who were understood to be possessing of divine qualities. Moreover, in words attributed to Constantine himself (although some have questioned their authenticity over the years), “the only power in man which can be elevated to a comparison with that of God, is sincere and guileless service and devotion of heart to himself, with the contemplation and study of whatever pleases him, the raising our affections above the things of earth, and directing our thoughts, as far as we may, to high and heavenly objects: for from such endeavours, it is said, a victory accrues to us more valuable than many blessings” (Oration to the Assembly of the Saints XIV) (see Bardill, Constantine, p. 22-23). The discussion above shows that the artistic portrayal of Constantine still retained features linking the emperor to Rome’s past and established pagan imagery, such as his image as a new Augustus, and his Hellenistic style heavenward gaze. English translation by Arthur Cushman McGiffert, in Philip Schaff and Henry Wace, eds., A Select Library of Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church. The iconography of the portrait, with this upward gaze, possibly in the pose of Jupiter, suggests that Constantine as a rule appointed by God, Constantine as victor or even Constantine … The west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius, near to the Forum Romanum in Rome. Colossus of Constantine Head Bust Sculpture Roman Emperor, Replica of early 4th century AD made of cast stone and hand-finished in antique finish. This was a huge statue of the late Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. Two small holes in the centre of the head, just above the fringe, and an incision along the right side of the head, indicate that there was at one point something adorning Constantine’s head. What is relevant for our discussion, is the debate as to what the remains of the statue might tell us about the relationship between Constantine’s apparent Christianity and his role as Roman emperor. by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker. ... but also in the style of carving, which recalls through its naturalism Ancient Greece and Rome. The model for this sculpture was the Colossus of Rhodes, simulacrum of the sun-god Helios executed by Chares of Lindos around 280 BC. in a niche in the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine. The statue was discovered in pieces in 1486, in the ruins of the great basilica northeast of the Roman Forum. The head is about 2½ meters high and each foot is over 2 meters long. Eusebius claims that the emperor “ordered a lofty spear in the figure of a cross to be placed beneath the hand of a statue representing himself, in the most frequented part of Rome, and the following inscription to be engraved on it in the Latin language: “Through this sign (σημεῖον, sēmeion) of salvation, which is the true symbol of goodness, I rescued your city and freed it from the tyrant’s yoke, and through my act of liberation I restored the senate and people of Rome to their ancient renown and splendor.”. Rather than being something present in the background, using the Roman military to work towards a greater purpose, yet not properly acknowledged, the support of the Christian God was now visible, accepted, and promoted. It has been argued that the statue, like the Basilica Nova, was originally made by Maxentius. The eyes are roughly 0.30 metres high. Constantine moved the administrative center of the empire from Rome to _____, which contributed to the decline of Rome as a city. Look at the two figures. It is possible that it was an imperial standard with Christian insignia that was used at the Milvian Bridge. Dating from 312-330 CE, after Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at the Milvian Bridge near Rome, which saw him go on to become sole ruler of the empire, the Colossus has attracted a lot of attention over the years and been the source of much discussion. Plotinus, Enneads I.2.4; “What Constantine Saw,” p. 46-47). Portions of the Colossus now reside in the Courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini, on the Capitoline Hill, above the west end of the Forum. There is also a small dowel hole at the top of the fist, suggesting that it once gripped something. False. coins struck in 306 and 307 CE after his proclamation as his father’s successor). It cannot be argued with any certainty, then, that Constantine intended his expression on the colossus to show his reverence for, or affiliation with, the Christian God specifically. Moreover, by loud proclamation and monumental inscriptions he made known to all men the salutary symbol, setting up this great trophy of victory over his enemies in the midst of the imperial city, and expressly causing it to be engraved in indelible characters, that the salutary symbol was the safeguard of the Roman government and of the entire empire. For our purposes, the statue and the debate surrounding it is particularly significant for what it might reveal about the changing attitude towards the compatibility not only between Christianity and Roman rule more generally, but particularly Christianity and the Roman army. For instance, Lysippus’s statue of Alexander the Great was reportedly designed like this, and there are many other examples (Bardill, Constantine, p. 19). À propos du remploi de portraits de ‘bons empereurs’”, Mélanges d’Archéologie et d’Histoire de l’École Française de Rome. Prezi’s Big Ideas 2021: Expert advice for the new year; Dec. 15, 2020. At this sight he himself was struck with amazement, and his whole army also, which followed him on this expedition, and witnessed the miracle.” His victory over Maxentius therefore proved that God supported him, and Eusebius tells us that this partnership between the Christian God and the Roman emperor was subsequently proclaimed far and wide by Constantine both through inscriptions, and through the setting up of this “trophy of victory” prominently in Rome, so that all would know the true source of protection of the Roman government and the wider empire (I.40). The Colossus of Constantine , c. 312–15, Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome These marble fragments are all that remain from a colossal statue (around 40 feet tall). Arch of Constantine. The detailed features of the head and face are somewhat uncharacteristic for a colossus (Jonathan Bardill, Constantine, p. 204). Reconstruction of the Colossus in the Basilica Nova by the University of Virginia, From The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine by Eusebius of Caesarea. The placing of the trophy in the hand of Constantine’s statue is also described in the Ecclesiastical History IX.9.10, and Eusebius in both instances seems to make clear that it is an existing statue which the trophy is added to. A common interpretation has therefore been that since the colossus was remodelled into Constantine’s likeness after the victory over Maxentius, that this is the statue which Eusebius refers to. The dowel holes on the temples suggest that a diadem was attached to the brow, while the right hand originally grasped an imperial standard or staff. According to Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History IX.9.11 (see also Life of Constantine I.40): Taken from Kirsopp Lake, Eusebius, The Ecclesiastical History, volume II (Loeb Classical Library 265; London: Heinemann, 1932), p. 363-364. τῷ σωτηριώδει σημείῳ, τῷ ἀληθεῖ ἐλέγχῳ τῆς ἀνδρείας τὴν πόλιν ὑμῶν ἀπὸ ζυγοῦ τοῦ τυράννου διασωθεῖσαν ἠλευθέρωσα, ἔτι μὴν καὶ τὴν σύγκλητον καὶ τὸν δῆμον Ῥωμαίων τῇ ἀρχαίᾳ ἐπιφανείᾳ καὶ λαμπρότητι ἐλευθερώσας ἀποκατέστησα. The same heavenward gaze is also found on coins minted after the defeat of Licinius in 324 CE (see, for example, Solidus depicting the head of Constantine celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of his rule, 335 CE). He points to the Neo-Platonist Proclus, for instance, who is described by his biographer Marinus of Samaria as having radiant eyes, and a countenance “resplendent with a divine light” (The Life of Proclus XXIII). In the second and early-third centuries, flowing beards came to represent the notion of the ‘philosopher emperor,’ for instance in portraits of Marcus Aurelius and Caracalla, then changing to show shorter, more military style facial hair on ‘soldier emperors.’ Elsner argues, therefore, that the presentation of Constantine here intends to portray him as “the archetypal Roman general of the distant imperial past, a new Augustus, a new Trajan”; indeed, the famous arch of Constantine also presents him as a new Trajan (Imperial Rome, p. 61). Originally the Colossus of Constantine was probably 40 feet high and stood . Accordingly, he immediately ordered a lofty spear in the figure of a cross to be placed beneath the hand of a statue representing himself, in the most frequented part of Rome, and the following inscription to be engraved on it in the Latin language: “By virtue of this salutary sign, which is the true test of valor, I have preserved and liberated your city from the yoke of tyranny. Additional fragments of the statue (the left breast and the right arm) were discovered in 1951. However, others are more cautious about drawing such conclusions, and prefer to understand the statue’s features as more in line with earlier Roman and Hellenistic tradition. The face is cleanly shaven, with a contemplative expression and extremely prominent, large eyes, deeply carved, which look upwards. He returned to the tradition of the eternally young emperor. Remove Ads It is an elliptical structure made of stone, concrete, and tuff, and it stands four stories tall at its highest point. For Justin, the fact that the symbolism of the cross permeates Roman displays of power and dominion without them even realising it shows that through Roman power, God’s greater plan is at work, regardless of whether the Romans acknowledge Him or not. Rome, Musei Capitolini, inv. Eusebius tells us that a long spear with a horizontal bar laid across it gave the standard the appearance of Christ’s cross, and the emperor ordered similar standards to be carried at the head of his armies as a symbol of their divine protection. Other sources connected with this document: Constantine’s vision of Christ prior to the battle at the Milvian Bridge, Historisk-filosofiske meddelelser/Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab 58, “I colossi di bronzo a Roma in età tardoantica: dal Colosso di Nerone al Colosso di Costantino. Colossus declared Constantine ’ s official Portraits adopted a new style official Portraits adopted a new iconography, made. 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