Deck 21: Constantine, Emperor and Christian Patron

Question 1

What effect did the Edict of Milan have on Roman religion?

A) It established Christianity as a legal religion.
B) It outlawed worship as part of a monotheistic religion in Rome.
C) It outlawed worship of traditional Roman deities.
D) It established legal worship of Sol Invictus.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The portraits of Maxentius exemplify what Roman portrait style?

A) the soldier emperor style with high emotional content and visible anxiety
B) the tetrarchic style with generic features and large, staring eyes
C) the Classicizing style with youthful and idealized features
D) the veristic style with an emphasis on age, experience, and wisdom

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Although the early portraits of Constantine are fully in the tetrarchic mold, his later image represented the emperor as

A) the legally adopted son of Maxentius.
B) a deity.
C) eternally youthful.
D) emotionally tense.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The Colossus of Constantine, a seminude seated portrait of the emperor, was modeled on what type of image?

A) Byzantine images of saints
B) Greek images of philosophers
C) Etruscan images of Apollo
D) Roman images of Jupiter

Question 5

In the dedicatory inscription on the Arch of Constantine, the unnamed "tyrant" and "divinity" are references to what two figures?

A) Maxentius and the Christian god
B) Caracalla and the Christian god
C) Maxentius and Jupiter
D) Diocletian and Mars

Question 6

Although the Arch of Constantine rejects the norms of Classical design, it shows respect for the Classical past in what feature?

A) the composition's rigid formality
B) its reuse of second-century sculptures
C) its stylistic similarities to tetrarchic sculpture
D) its commemoration of the victory at Mulvian Bridge

Question 7

The Basilica Nova's spacious, well-lit interior was made possible by extensive use of

A) post and lintel.
B) timber and tufa.
C) concrete and vaulting.
D) ashlar masonry and mortar.

Question 8

The Aula Palatina at Trier functioned as a(n)

A) marketplace.
B) royal mausoleum.
C) shrine of the imperial cult.
D) audience hall.

Question 9

Who was the benefactor responsible for the construction of Rome's first churches?

A) Constantine
B) Maxentius
C) Augustus
D) Saint Peter

Question 10

Early Christian builders embraced the Roman ____________ as the standard form for the first churches.

A) temple
B) basilica
C) bath complex
D) amphitheater

Question 11

What was significant about the choice of location for Old Saint Peter's?

A) It was believed to be the site of Jesus's resurrection.
B) It was the site of a Roman temple to Jupiter.
C) It was believed to be the burial site of Peter.
D) It was believed to be the site of Jesus's crucifixion.

Question 12

The subterranean networks of galleries and chambers designed as cemeteries for the early Christian dead are called

A) sarcophagi.
B) aulae.
C) confraternities.
D) catacombs.

Question 13

The story of Jonah was a popular subject for early Christian funerary art because he was honored as a ____________ of Christ, who rose from death.

A) prefiguration
B) ketos
C) orant
D) confraternity

Question 14

The compositions of the sculptural reliefs on the Junius Bassus sarcophagus borrow heavily from

A) Classical Greek cult statues.
B) official Roman art.
C) Celtic decorative schemes.
D) provincial Roman temple reliefs.

Question 15

In the early fourth century, Constantine founded a "New Rome" at Byzantium, and renamed it

A) Nicaea.
B) Nova Roma.
C) Constantinople.
D) Trier.

Question 16

Summarize the political changes that took place under Constantine and his historical importance for the Roman Empire.

Question 17

Describe how Constantine altered the way that the Roman emperor was presented to his subjects.

Question 18

Discuss the major architectural projects initiated by Constantine in Rome.

Question 19

Discuss how Constantine used spolia on his triumphal arch in Rome.

Question 20

Explain how the Constantinian reliefs on the Arch of Constantine depart from the Classical pictorial tradition.

Question 21

Explain the design and visual presentation of the emperor in the Aula Palatina at Trier.

Question 22

Explain why Christians adopted the basilica form for their churches instead of the Graeco-Roman temple form.

Question 23

Compare and contrast the form of Old Saint Peter's with earlier Roman basilicas.

Question 24

Discuss how early Christian catacombs were constructed and give examples of some of the decorative motifs used in them.

Question 25

Describe some of the popular subjects portrayed on early Christian sarcophagi and possible reasons why they were chosen.

Question 26

Compare and contrast the production and decoration of early Christian sarcophagi with Roman sarcophagi.

Question 27

Explain how early Christian art both borrowed from and departed from Graeco-Roman art.

Question 28

Constantine is considered to be the first great patron of Christian art and architecture.

Question 29

Although completed and dedicated by Constantine, the Basilica Nova in Rome was actually begun by Maxentius.

Question 30

Maxentius's victory in the battle at the Mulvian Bridge led to the legalization of Christianity in the Roman Empire.