ALRItkwRom303_1IntroConst.html

"The Dark Ages" is the name that Renaissance humanists gave to the period that started with the "Fall" of Rome and ended with their own arrival.
 
 

Medieval Rome --Introduction and the Constantinian legacy.

A. Introduction

Dark Ages or Darkened ages

In general, "Darkness" was pejoratively applied by snooty Renaissance folks -- much like "pre-Raphaelites" -- not liking what came in between.

This was particularly true of Italians who thought that what came in between was German and thus Barbarian.

 "Medieval" really just means "middle period"

Early and late Medieval

Different dates in different place -- like all historical period labels.

In "Western Civ", "medieval" is usually applied only to Europe, but historians of other areas also use the term.

Even in Europe, period names don't always mean the same thing.

Historians usually pick their own parameters

For our purposes, we will try to drop the term "dark ages" but no penalty for forgetting.

We will, however, use Medieval, early and late, for Rome.

We'll use Early Medieval to mean the time between Gregory the Great (born about 540, Pope from 590 until 604) and ca. 1000.

Late Medieval will mean 1000 through the debatable beginning of the Renaissance -- we'll decide later when that is.

Although the course is about Rome, we will talk about other places if needed.
                Milan, Ravenna, Constantinople, Avignon, etc.

Before starting on the Medieval period, we'll go into some background:
 

Constantine's legacy -- for better or worse

Barbarians -- anyone non-Roman -- "your barbarian is my cousin"

Benedict and early monasticism

Gregory was a monk and maybe a Benedictine

He wrote a biography of Benedict

 Byzantines and their Representatives.

Despite what it sounds like, this isn't a linear history course

There are timelines and an abbreviated history, but we will concentrate on

trends and controlling factors (some of which are people) rather than on events

We won't always go in chronological order

Benedict, for example, is in the century before Gregory but will come after him in the course.
 

And the founders of the other Medieval monastic orders,

Francis and Dominic, will be discussed with Benedict even though

they're late Medieval. Even Ignatius, who was counter-Reformation, will rate a mention.
 

 Krautheimer's Medieval Rome http://www.mmdtkw.org/VKrautheimerRome.html

 B. Constantine's legacy

The "Donation of Constantine"

Constantine gives Rome and the Empire to Pope Sylvester 1 -- impious fraud
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05118a.htm

Extent of the Empire -- map exercise: from Augustus until 1500

Orphan maps? (Periodical Historical Atlas of Europe)

http://www.euratlas.com/time1.htm

Structures: Church basilicas and rounds

Tituli -- home churches to which someone held title

Ancient Roman Basilicas


Basilica of Maxentius/Constantine

Largest built, curile basilica

Tomb dinners -- an ancient Mediterranean tradition:  Dining/assembly area in front of tombs
                    Grand triclinia: banquet halls for large numbers of guests

Exposing tombs -- ambulatoria around tombs


Medieval Churches of Rome

Basilicas:

Old St. Peter's

http://www.mmdtkw.org/VOldStPeters.html

http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/midjpg/alphabetical/00968.html

Not oldest, but eventually assumed greatest importance.

Funerary chapel expanded into huge basilica

Good example of a semi-round ambulatory cut around a tomb

Perhaps built by Constantine (or Constantius)

Eventually demolished because it would have fallen -- but lasted more than 1000 yrs.
 

 St. John Lateran http://roma.katolsk.no/giovannilaterano.htm

http://www.canticanova.com/articles/misc/art7f1.htm

http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/midjpg/alphabetical/00386.html

http://members.tripod.com/romeartlover/Vasi46.html

"Mother of all churches"

Converted grand tricliniun

Not a tomb church

Medieval Baptistery still standing

"Constantine's bathtub" (Rienzo connection)

Medieval cloister
 

 Scala Sancta

Leo 3's Triclinium Mosaic from Palace

Disastrous Palace fires

Renaissance/baroque redecoration of the church


Quattro Coronati

http://www.santiquattrocoronati.org/index_enn.htm

http://www2.siba.fi/~kkoskim/rooma/pages/SQUATTRO.HTM

http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/database/new/01416.html

4th Century Titulus Aemilianae built by Pope Miltiades (311-14)

Restored by Pope Honorius 625-638) and by Pope Hadrian 772-95

Basilica built by Pope Leo 4 (847-55).

Sacked by the Norman, Robert Guiscard, in 1048.

Rebuilt on a smaller scale by Pope Paschal 2 (1099-1118).

Monastery and cloister added in the 12th and 13th centuries, held by Benedictines until the 16th.

Fortress guarding the Lateran (1246, Innocent 4) and haven for Popes during conflict with the Hohehstaufen

Camaldolese monks got it in 1521 and 40 years later the Augustinians got it.

Now Augustinian nuns.
Fresco finds in late 1990's St. Sabina http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/midjpg/alphabetical/01071.html
5th century (422-23), built on the site of Titulus Sabinae by Peter the Illyrian.

Became the Dominican HQ in 1218 (overtaken by S. Maria Sopra Minerva in 1370.)

Last home of Dominic, later was home of Thomas Aquinas.

Wooden doors are pre-450, perhaps the first doors of the church.

Windows are translucent selenite.

Restored in first half of 20th century -- renaissance and baroque additions removed.

Medieval cloister is attached.

Additional courtyard with "Dominic's" orange tree.

  Rare Round Churches Round Roman Temple

Funerary rotundae without fronting basilicae?


S. Costanza

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Costanza   Originally a Mausoleum located outside the Aurelian walls on Via Nomentana

Not a church until 1254 -- Pope Alexander 4

Vault mosaic, with portrait of Costanza, is 4th century

Costanza's porphyry sarcophagus -- original in the Vatican


S. Maria ad Martyres -- Pantheon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantheon,_Rome

http://www.romanconcrete.com

Built by Hadrian as a massive rebuilding of Marcus Agrippa's homage to the Julio-Claudian patron gods.

Temple closed in 5th century and given by Emperor Phocas to Pope Boniface 4.

Boniface consecrated it as S. Maria ad Martyres before 609

(in that year he proclaimed "All Saints Day" in the church.)

In 663, Eastern Emperor Constans 2 stole the bronze roof tiles.

Gregory 3 reclad the roof with lead in 735.

Used as a fortress and later as a poultry market during Avignon Captivity (1309-77)

Restored to use as a church after the Captivity -- in use since then.

Renaisance redecorations.
 

 S. Stefano Rotondo al Celio

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santo_Stefano_al_Monte_Celio

http://rubens.anu.edu.au/htdocs/bycountry/italy/rome/popolo/database/new/01454.html
and following pages

A purpose built round church -- probably modeled directly after the Byzantine church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Same size as the Jerusalem Holy Sepulchre rotunda.

First church consecrated by Pope Simplicius (468-83), perhaps in 460.

Perhaps financed by the Verlarian family who had Jerusalem connections -- not a titulus.

Built on the site of a Mithraeum within the Castra Peregrinorum (a military barracks for foreign troops -- training for foreign officers).

Decorated by Pope John 1 (523-26) and Pope Felix 4 (526-30).

Colonnades altered and transverse arches added by Innocent 2 (1130-1143).

Renaissance restorations

Martyr frescoes
 

 Other Medieval Churches S. Sebastiano -- 3rd century catacomb church, 4th basilica, 9th rededication https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Sebastiano_fuori_le_mura


Ss. Giovanno e Paulo -- 2-3 century titulus, 4th century church, restored mid-5th, restored early 12th after Norman sacking

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Saints_John_and_Paul_on_the_Caelian_Hill


S. Pudenza (Pudenziana) 390 -- original but badly restored apse mosaic is the earliest of its type in Rome

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Pudenziana


S. Maria Maggiore

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_di_Santa_Maria_Maggiore

Basilica Liberiana 352-66, Damasus Basilica 366-84, Sixtus3432-40


            S. Maria della Neve -- Aug 4-5 358

http://www.italyheritage.com/traditions/august/05-madonna-della-neve.htm


Ss. Cosmas and Damian in Foro 527

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santi_Cosma_e_Damiano


S. Marco in Piazza Venezia -- ca 800

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marco_Evangelista_al_Campidoglio,_Rome
http://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi39.htm


S. Cecilia in Trastevere -- early titulus Ceacilia, 5th century church replaced in 9th

                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Cecilia_in_Trastevere
                  http://www.sacred-destinations.com/italy/rome-santa-cecilia

S. Prassede (Praxedes, sister of Pudenza) 5th century church replaced in 822

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Prassede
                                             Zeno chapel 817 http://www.arttrav.com/rome/santa-prassede-mosaics/

S. Clemente 1100s (Earlier church destroyed by Guiscard)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_San_Clemente_al_Laterano


S. Maria del Popolo 1227

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Santa_Maria_del_Popolo


S. Lorenzo fuori le Mure

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Saint_Lawrence_outside_the_Walls

https://www.romeartlover.it/Vasi46sl.html


And hundreds more:
       from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churches_of_Rome