third century crisis

Question 1

Diocletian Head, Nicomedia

Answer 1

AD 284-305

Diocletian: ruled alone initially but appointed a colleague - beginning of the tetrarchy or ‘rule by four’

elaborate crown of Oak leaves with a central Medallion, statue in marble. potentially recut from previous portrait but there aren’t the telltale signs - drilled marks in hair, crown and eyes - naturalistic and individualised

not dissimilar to the second and first century portraits

Question 2

how did the tetrarchy work?

Answer 2

‘rule of 4’

two senior emperors (‘augustii’) and two junior emperors (‘caesaris’)

idea that juniors would succeed the seniors and take on their own juniors with each having designated sphere of influence

Question 3

Portrait of a tetrarch from Romuliana

Answer 3

AD 305-311

carved from porphyry

theorised to be Galerius, highly stylised and abstracted features, the eyes are particularly striking in their geometric approach

Question 4

portrait of the four tetrarchs, Constantinople

Answer 4

porphyry, supposedly the first tetrarchs, moved to venice during the 4th crusade - built into a porphyry column at original site in constantinople

depicts two senior and two junior emperors with few differences to distinguish their individual identities

emphasis on unity, pairs literally embracing eachother, donning military dress, eagle headed swords

idea of the emperor being conveyed more than the individual identities of the subject

NOTE: tendency to extrapolate too widely from this style - considerable stylistic diversity is the reality

style more usefully associated with the medium - porphyry is incredibly hard, drawn back to single quarry in egypt - late antiquity near imperial monopoly over the quarry

Question 5

reliefs of the tetrarchs from Nichomadia

Answer 5

naturalistic features, scene utilises naturalistic proportions and realistic sense of movement

maintains the same scene/poses of the tetrachs embracing

directly in contrast with the idea of artistic degradation in this period

Question 6

portrait head of a tetrach, possibly Licinius

Answer 6

early 4th century

proportions are quite strange - tiny mouth, bulging eyes, seems to by smiling potentially to portray a benign image

stubble and short hair akin to the soldier emperor typ of past generations - perhaps appealing to being a comrade in arms more that explicit military prowess

strange proportions could be due to it being a recarved of a previous portrait