Interpreting the Visual Evidence
The Power of the Invincible Sun
Roman emperors often
linked their power with
those of Rome's traditional
gods, and they
were also worshipped
as gods in their own right. Look carefully
at the following images and consider
the visual language of power that
came to be associated with Sol Invictus,
"the Invincible Sun," and eventually with
Jesus Christ.
Images
Questions for Analysis
1. fiogf49gjkf0d fiogf49gjkf0d How did Constantine invoke the iconog
raphy of Sol Invictus (image A)? What
messages did this imagery convey? |
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2. fiogf49gjkf0d fiogf49gjkf0d How might Constantine’s use of this
imagery after his initial conversion to
Christianity have been interpreted by
Christians? How might it have been
interpreted by followers of Rome’s
other religions? Do you think it was
designed to be ambiguous? |
|
3. fiogf49gjkf0d fiogf49gjkf0d Scholars dispute both the dating and
the significance of the mosaic found
beneath St. Peter’s Basilica (image B).
Is it likely that this is a representation
of Jesus as Sol Invictus? If not, how
would you explain the later association
of this pagan deity with the Christian
God? |
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