Look at the two figures. The bronze colossus may also have been intended for reuse by Maxentius, and was inherited by Constantine, alongside the overall plan for the late-Antique reorganization of Rome. in a niche in the Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine. 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 Colossus of Constantine. However, this upward gaze characteristic of the emperor’s portraiture, which Eusebius claims showed him with his eyes heavenward, often accompanied by his hands stretched out in prayer (Life of Constantine IV.15), was already well established in the pagan world. 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. By 325 he had succeeded in reunifying the empire, having defeated the last of his former tetrarchic colleagues, the eastern emperor Licinius. Millennium: Jahrbuch zu Kultur und Geschichte des ersten Jahrtausends n. Chr. 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. Constantine’s face, which is clean shaven, has a placid expression with large, deeply carved eyes directed towards heaven. It is an elliptical structure made of stone, concrete, and tuff, and it stands four stories tall at its highest point. 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. Practice: Arch of Constantine . Indeed, as Bardill observes, the fact that the statue seems to have once held something supports this theory. This unique portrait has many highly distinctive features including a square jaw, projecting dimpled chin, carefully arranged locks, and an aquiline nose. It is possible that Eusebius referred to the statue in his works, the Life of Constantine and the Ecclesiastical History, which also records its inscription. 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. [37] If the bronze was a part of Maxentius’ plan, it would have been easy to remove the beard, and leave the hairstyle as it had been at the time of Nero and Commodus. The marble friezes were re-used from earlier imperial monuments so that the overall impression is a lack of a coherent style. ... but also in the style of carving, which recalls through its naturalism Ancient Greece and Rome. 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. Earlier Christian writers had struggled to accept the idea of Christians within Rome’s military ranks, seeing the two as fundamentally opposed. What was the Edict of Milan? It measures 620 by 513 feet (189 by 156 metres) and could hold as many as 50,000 spectators. The head is 2.97 metres high, the feet are 2 metres long, and the right hand 1.61 metres high (another right hand, discovered in 1744, which was possibly discarded when the statue was reworked, measures 1.66 metres high). TRUE or FALSE: Portraits of Roman emperors were entirely realistic. Moreover, Eusebius argues that when Constantine entered Rome after his victory, the people and senate of Rome hailed him as a saviour (σωτήρ, sōtēr) and benefactor (εὐεργέτης, euergetēs) (I.39). by Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker. Only small parts of it are left intact, including the head and a hand (fig. In addition to the head, there was also a closed right hand found at the basilica, which has a break at the thumb. Additional fragments of the statue (the left breast and the right arm) were discovered in 1951. 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. The eyes are roughly 0.30 metres high. The head, arms and legs of the Colossus were carved from white marble, with the rest of the body constructed from a brick core and wooden framework, possibly covered with gilded bronze. THE CONSTANTINIAN BRONZE COLOSSUS NERO’S HAIRSTYLE… 115 F IGS 2a-b – Colossal marble portrait of Constantine. These marble fragments are all that remain from a colossal statue (around 40 feet tall). The Colossus of Constantine. How to increase brand awareness through consistency; Dec. 11, 2020 Plotinus, Enneads I.2.4; “What Constantine Saw,” p. 46-47). 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.”. It has been argued that the statue, like the Basilica Nova, was originally made by Maxentius. I just spent two weeks in Italy and another in Morocco and though the backup of work and jetlag has been much harder to get over than I expected, it was completely worth it to get away from the daily grind and explore. Constantinople. Possibly, then, the image of Constantine reinterprets a classic Hellenistic pose in Christian terms, or perhaps more likely, it is intended to be ambiguous, portraying the emperor’s divine inspiration, but leaving the question of which God, or gods, this came from for the viewer to decide (Bardill, Constantine, p. 24). Art Appreciation: Colossus of Constantine After a few weeks of traveling, it’s so good to be back! The Colosseum was famously used for gladiatorial combat. 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. For instance, the second century author Tertullian in his On Idolatry XIX objects to Christians in the Roman army on the grounds that military service necessarily involved idolatry, such as the swearing of an oath of allegiance to the emperor, and in some roles the performing of sacrifices (see also Tertullian, On the Military Garland I.1-4; On the Military Garland XI.1-4; Tertullian is not opposed to the Roman army and its role in the empire’s expansion per se, as is made clear elsewhere in his writings where he asserts Christianity’s support for and prayers for the emperor and his army). It is possible that it was an imperial standard with Christian insignia that was used at the Milvian Bridge. Photo: author. 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. The face is cleanly shaven, with a contemplative expression and extremely prominent, large eyes, deeply carved, which look upwards. I have also set at liberty the Roman senate and people, and restored them to their ancient distinction and splendor”. Arch of Constantine. [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 … The body was made out of wood and mud brick and then the exterior was covered in gilded bronze to represent golden robes. Arch of Constantine. 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. 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. He returned to the tradition of the eternally young emperor. The head bust of the Colossus of Constantine, a huge acrolithic statue that once occupied the west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius near the Forum Romanum in Rome. The head in 2.97 metres high in total, and 1.74 metres from chin to crown. The great head, arms and legs of the Colossus were carved from white marble, while the rest of the body consisted of a brick core and wooden framework, possibly covered with gilded bronze. For instance, Lysippus’s statue of Alexander the Great was reportedly designed like this, and there are many other examples (Bardill, Constantine, p. 19). Colossus of Constantine Head Bust Sculpture Roman Emperor, Replica of early 4th century AD made of cast stone and hand-finished in antique finish. The statue was bare-chested and was probably was placed on a pedestal. If we consider for a moment non-Christians, including Jews, who saw this statue, with the exception of the sign of the cross (if it was indeed added to the colossus), the style would likely not have appeared much different from previous statues of pagan emperors. 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”. 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. Marble, 312 CE. For some scholars, as we shall see, the colossus is particularly revealing in this regard, especially when considered in conjunction with the words of Constantine’s contemporary, the church historian Eusebius. Ancient Rome Ancient Art Ancient Greece Roman C Carpeaux Constantine The Great Pointing Fingers Hand Pointing Hand Sculpture. 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. Second Series (New York: Scribner, 1904), p. 564. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo1.ark:/13960/t6m04pr8j;view=1up;seq=378, “Through this sign 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.”. 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. 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. In his panegyrical Life of Constantine I.28, Eusebius describes how prior to the battle at the Milvian Bridge, Constantine received a vision from God: “He said that about noon, when the day was already beginning to decline, he saw with his own eyes the trophy of a cross of light in the heavens, above the sun, bearing the inscription, conquer/prevail (νικάω, nikaō) by this. The hair itself is very Constantinian on the forehead, yet that on the top of the head is more in the style of earlier statues, more voluminous in its curls. 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. Moreover, as Bardill argues, the upward gaze was also adopted in late antiquity for philosophers, who were understood to be possessing of divine qualities. The west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius, near to the Forum Romanum in Rome. Once located in the west apse of the Basilica of Maxentius, fragments of the Colossus of Constantine are now located in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori of the Musei Capitolini on the Capitoline Hill, Rome. 3). . ... especially after Constantine, and especially in the Eastern zone of the Empire. Constantine the Great was the first Christian emperor of Rome, and his reign had a profound effect on the subsequent development of the Roman, later Byzantine, world. 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? 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. 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. The marble is a combination of Parian and Carrara. The detailed features of the head and face are somewhat uncharacteristic for a colossus (Jonathan Bardill, Constantine, p. 204). 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. These adaptations arose largely from the new importance of the East and of the provinces in general in the life of the Empire. Remove Ads 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). Practice: Colossus of Constantine. “Under this singular sign (singularius signum), which is the mark (insigne) of true excellence, I restored (restituo) the city of Rome, the senate, and the Roman people, torn away by the yoke (iugo) of tyrannical rule (tyrannicus dominatio), to their former freedom (libertas) and nobility (nobilitas).”, (The translation from the Latin is my own). Holding on to pagan traditions in the early Christian era: The Symmachi Panel. Possibly, this was added after he adopted the diadem after 324 CE, following his defeat of Licinius. Saved by Sarah Bogue. These roots to the past remained in a very visible and prominent way, therefore, even if the Roman power and that of the Supreme Deity were now acknowledged by the head of the empire as working towards a common cause. 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. 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). It shows a portrait of an individual with clearly defined features: a hooked nose, prominent jaw, and large eyes that look upwards. has, however, demonstrated that the marble colossus originally showed Hadrian, and was recut into Constantine in Late Antiquity, when almost all marble sculptures were reused or Marble was used to portray the exposed flesh, while the mantle might have been bronze. This unique portrait of Constantine is one of the most important statues of Late Antiquity. Arch of Constantine; Circus Maximus; Domus Aurea; ROMAN FORUM. 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. There is also a small dowel hole at the top of the fist, suggesting that it once gripped something. See the commentary for a discussion of this. The Colossus of Constantine was positioned inside this basilica, in the western apse. 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. ROMAN FORUM; Arch Of Titus; Temple of Venus and Rome; Cloaca Maxima; Temple of Vesta; INTERESTING FACTS; Palatine Hill. Constantine's features merge realism with the abstracted style of the tetrarchs. Arch of Constantine. no. Another large right hand of 1.66 metres high was found in 1744 during building work near the Capitol, and so it is possible that this was the original hand of the Colossus, discarded when the statue was reworked to include a trophy of the cross in the form of a military standard (see commentary for further details, and Bardill, Constantine, p. 209). The Colossus of Constantine, c. 312-15 (Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome). 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. Rome, Musei Capitolini, inv. 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). À propos du remploi de portraits de ‘bons empereurs’”, Mélanges d’Archéologie et d’Histoire de l’École Française de Rome. After his victory over Maxentius, Constantine’s official portraits adopted a new style. Instead of creating a new style or a new iconography, it made the necessary adaptations to Pagan traditions and drew on them. The colossal statue of Constantine comes from the Basilica Nova in Rome, which was started by Maxentius and finished by Constantine after he defeated Maxentius in 312. 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). https://www.khanacademy.org/.../roman/late-empire/v/colossus-of-constantine 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). This was a huge statue of the late Roman Emperor Constantine the Great. For those who looked upon this great statue, Constantine’s depiction would not have struck them as drastically departing from Roman tradition. 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 striking head bears very distinctive features—a square jaw, with a dimpled chin, and a distinctive aquiline nose that is pointed at the tip, which was characteristic of the style introduced by Constantine’s father. Further arguments for the colossus’s potential connection to the relationship between Constantine and the Christian deity have been inspired by what are commonly believed to be references to the statue in the writings of Eusebius. / Yearbook on the Culture and History of the First Millennium C.E. 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. Prezi’s Big Ideas 2021: Expert advice for the new year; Dec. 15, 2020. The statue was discovered in pieces in 1486, in the ruins of the great basilica northeast of the Roman Forum. 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. Blog. The remains of the right bicep, bent elbow, and forearm indicate that the right arm was raised up, and coming out from the shoulder horizontally. The striking head bears very distinctive features—a square jaw, with a dimpled chin, and a distinctive aquiline nose that is pointed at the tip, which was characteristic of the style introduced by Constantine’s father. A prosito dei tre frammenti bronzei dei Musei Capitolini”, Aurea Roma: Dalla città pagana alla città cristiana, “Remarques sur l’iconographie de Constantin. For Bardill, the statue was likely recut from a previous colossus after 312 CE, when Constantine defeated Maxentius, and then restyled again after the defeat of Licinius to feature the deep, ethereal eyes that it now has (Constantine, p. 204). The fragment of the head and neck is around 2.5 meters, while the right hand is 1.66 meters, meaning the statue could have been as much as 12 meters tall. 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 head is about 2½ meters high and each foot is over 2 meters long. Palatine Hill; Domus Flavia; Lupercal; DOMUS AUGUSTANA; Palace of Septimus Severus; Interesting Facts; Discover Rome . 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 … This website uses cookies to enhance your user experience. 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. head, chest, arms, and legs made from marble, with bronze drapery). 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). Colossus of Constantine Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of The Colossus of Constantine . The emerging abstraction that is present in the Colossus of Constantine came to be associated with _____. By continuing to use this website, you consent to Columbia University’s usage of cookies and similar technologies, in accordance with the Originally the Colossus of Constantine was probably 40 feet high and stood . 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. The Colossus of Constantine , c. 312–15, Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome 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). Linda Safran has argued that the colossus declared Constantine’s divinity by mimicking the temple images of Jupiter and Zeus. coins struck in 306 and 307 CE after his proclamation as his father’s successor). The Colossus of Constantine , c. 312–15, Palazzo dei Conservatori, Musei Capitolini, Rome Rufinus, in his fifth century Latin translation of Eusebius’s Greek text, renders the inscription slightly differently (832.6-9). Colossus of Constantine Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker provide a description, historical perspective, and analysis of The Colossus of Constantine . Only parts of the Colossus remain, including the head that is over eight feet tall and 6.5 feet long. The position of the left foot, with heel raised, confirms that it was a statue of a seated figure of an emperor. However, the colossus was ultimately a visual piece of propaganda, and so Eusebius’s account, while illuminating to us now, must be taken with caution. . 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. 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. The right hand of the Constantine Colossus, mistakenly restored to the pointing formation (it should have been positioned to hold a scepter or spear). 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. 1622. 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.

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