‘Chistian wets, Falling in the trios associated wih Jenae word about giving Caesar is duc, Chistian were awa of the ex tence of rl around them, borpad at ie atenton Prior the end of dhe second entry thers aothing atl ha can really be termed Chitin se (Christin signs and symbols For the east Cristiane the making of religous at, if nt quite taboo, roused an avesion that became « habit and commitment, whose gradual erosion durngthe couse ofthe third entry mst have been traumatic to mm. Yet Christian ar begins not a get storm butrather arte tide unig, nan wndeamatic way and ts beings are litle noe either by Christian or non Chistian cotemporary Serer: The erasiveni ofthe Ronn val ue sounding the Christiane surly piyed the large sole in thi. proves CCaistiaiy spread though irene sear ofthe Roman epi ad through different social dase, no longer ay Jewish alt ba age society number any thousands in the hrger Roman tes, spread 52 ral oft proveliing impulse, Many new Chreians probably Say litle reo to depart fom wit they regaled a wma, de ‘ipresion of al ru of Ui ncading eeligion inva er The emographiceplosion of Chistian seems to be data to the easly ‘ied cenary, and Chistian visa ae scaly appenre ad capily develope atthe sme moment Clement, bishop of Aletadi, probaly dhe largest Chitin omanity ofthe early hid cena tal is fallowersthaalthough (Chessans wee forbidden toma dea id pagans ifthey needed sealinoréer to conduct public bsiesst woulsbepernisible omar ‘hat sea wth sone Kind of ia, dd ost ppl inthe Roman wld He indvsed that certain types of images should Be avid, sndencouraged the ue of thers Ours te adver afihorastpransngin sf wind rams Ipesichastheone Prt west ae suchar te oe Slee Id natn tiene, Ani eninge will od ‘hespolead techn [cay biel China dawn uta ‘yee We who rent stich ore sem ate the Fee ads rhe ord rhe bow sice me lio the ph of eso Sroking caps soe we weaker! ‘Clement sys noting aboot the form oF material of pemisble (Christan imagery, about tae, being concerned only with te subject mater ao funtion. Hl regu ages a ceding idem, nally a pcg sgn pting to events aod concept fot ‘which isconventonal ta sply the term yb Sora Sake AsClement sys sho sherman would make a Chetan think ofthe apostle’, presumably Peter and Ande, or James and John, SSshermen belo being called t follow Jest (Matthew 4-22) ‘That Clement is peaking of practical node and rel age i cleat Som he oeurence ofthe imagery e dsc, sch a ah or ah man, oo the cst of abject to which be speiealy refers, seal "The hin this ene coal seem lino a atte of esti aps le, but this was lay ot the most important tearing ip by the image. [a Mathews Gospel (Jeu ils Pee ant Ane, saying Follow me, and wll make you fers of men” Seen in fer ‘ence to this well-krown text, the fish symbolizes the rule t0 be pusual by Jena minion,parculiy those that wil be ‘caught, Trough sation among the Blase ia heaven ater their dst, ‘Moreover one of te miles of ess isthe provision of sstenance formultdes sometimes wine (Jobs: a), someines bread and fc, ar when fe thowand peopl wer fed with Sve loaves of bead nd two Suh (Mask psy). Chan beleers would Kaw thie Story an the fsb would remind them of Crisps to work ales, to save frm hunger aswell as hee dangers. Yee the manner in svi the sory wa fold in the Gospel atl intepeied by later Christan preachers alo presented sich ire a pei the ental Chistian ura it ofthe Mass, which bead and wine te consume by the fal afer being Wansfrmed through prayers ‘of eomecration into the body and binod of Chit. Ta this ht see the image ofthe fh symbolizes the Mass and ean repre the rmicelous food, Jets boy, fred in the evharnte sari, ‘The symbian of Chis the Saviour ae = fi ll cooveyed by the emblem toy offen sen on bumper stickers and ted in other contexts by comtemporary Cvitians, the fh withthe inscriton IXOYC [uel the common Grek won for fh but alia epee ing ap anagram comprisol af the Sas lees of the Credle words speling Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour The St appearance of this symbolism cannot be exetly dated, but cra fallin the ‘aries China prod [1 ‘According to Clement «dove x ao permissible, bat he eens to assume that he need ot explain why Hear jst eplenof Chins following peace ater dan wi, and the dove sil today wed a ‘ye of pace. This ira kind of natura yin’ based pon the exer peacll (often lcviou) behaviour of doves, at would besecogizable to anyone, iaeed was sen pagon Roman conor phyns manner instingshable from Christan urge Ain the ce Df the Saberman, howeer, Clement very ikely imagines a Chistian Slane. A reader of Genesis wo now hte dove eng at ‘lvebranch acid with tend of th grat od, the preserva tion of Nosh family nd the readiness ofthe cart a eects themsagsin (Genesis 6-13) [29]. As rach, ts sociated with God fit, Covenant wth many and synbolizes God power pnish and pre {erve In Matthew’ Gospel (36) Jn ends fr is disciples 0 ‘read the word of God an o work healing meade, tlng thers‘ ‘ed you fort a sheep nthe mide of wes: be ye therefore wise 2 Serpents and hares ne" Withthisein mine he dove cold ‘bese ata symbol ofthe Chistian nthe worl. Elsewhere Mathew (G16) deserts the tapi of Christ ayng dia when hecame out oF thewnter the hewvens wee opened unto hi, and he saw the Spit of God descending lik done and ighting upon ink. Wither tet in ‘mind the dove might lun symbole the apt of God, the thi pesonofheChstan divine winiy. Pressly which meaning ofthe dove was foremost in Cements rind we ctnnot ser tly more than on; and we cannot sy thigh meanings would have Been peeved by Chvstan who aw this imagesign: peace, bition, the Chistian preacher among agen, the oly pit Prnumably dierent people wuld see diferent ‘eaninge The contest whether on sea orasocited with atom in {place ofp, a xii with an altar would ae iterpe ‘vec, The ier charcter ofthe image sen, howees, tnd the moe popularly Cri images were those which, ike Adore orf, were ices inane of mening. The choice of such poly ‘ales probably ao ected the curentrofzatural symbols, tn the tition ofthe cla world Jens tls his disciples tobe “wo serpents and harmless ar doves (Matthew 1:6) but although Ades were commonly adopted by Chistian art in pte of this tutor et and commentaries pon ity wo inBuerial a Father ‘ofthe Chacha Austin othe bert of my Lnewedge the Serpent neverin uly Christiana symbolies aise Criss. The negate ‘onnntations ofthe Toatrome wm, compounded by is rong ‘sociation with ome lading pag dies, were simply 0 ton,” “All he images cited by Clemens approsatefor Chestan se ‘were common tthe Roman worl, so hes seking to dictate not how (Chvsians should have inagesspecily rested for heirs butter Ihow they should choose among the images seal avilable in the Roman worl and how they shoudinterpret those cheven, Then pretadon eauld be almett 2 reveal of the common Ronin Sgufance,Claneat refs a anchor at on coin of Doman [17] and indo Clement specially acknges thatthe anchor assed avadevice by 2 pagan, pre-Chistan ruler In Helens and Roman canography the anchor represented icory in a tle se, Iutin his passage Clement eles military imagery inappoptat fo Chistian we. Manet the ney api Chin precedent might nt only spplement but altogether replace xpi atonal rennin. The desper generic meaning of vitary is rain, but reappsd so hat he anchor with ah apn that epee aval ‘ctor pagan onogephy ould become Chit victory oer death on he eros] Tage rig that made reference tobi in slaton could be ripe and combined inthe manner of early payers sch the Eres commendto animes (tosng ofthe sol, seated fa a seemingly candom manner [1]. Yer Cian art was ale to lik idengephic sgn © convey vatous and increasingly complex mer~ ‘sages A tomislb fom thecatacombof Donia [20] shows aia fa, each touching the hook ke fake of am anchor. The holders seminded of Clement ige ofthe fern whe captors me, 9 the fish may presen Christan souls Bought to a ale harbour the snchor hen becoming asymbol of hopes ned pari. In is Epis to the Hebrews (6: 1-1), Pl wrote hat ‘we may have the strongest comft,who ave Be for rege to hold fst he hope act fight before ws, wich we havea an anchor ofthese re and fi Such ameaing agin accords witht nacialsybelien, tthe frm Of thie partie anchor evokes the crs pre-eminent Chistian ‘onblem, The crocs ign made onthe body of the newly baptized‘Chinn was dhe mck by which he or the would be recognized by ‘God asaticeverand ken to pare the crorwa for Chistinsthe signaf dine power, of vitony over sin and death Here the Cesta soul, represented by the Se, are eaughe to salvation though their ‘i inthe power of the cos, enced by Jes Chri serial eat, The tine complex ofimager was presented in ight difer nt manner om a arphagus [2]. On te cen panel beneath the inscription etiing the deceased are three image stb 3 ove Reading thm feo rg ke words in wbook, one read Sa ohep he anchor or a8 the contemporary viewer might expand and understand the sequence, Gad loves ea Buran being so much that heparies him oer snd fy they willie in hie brings them, tohesven, Story-tling “The eicet Chenin ant was not eachaively a tem of symbolic ign for the Chrno Bibl wns a tease ove of ip seis ‘hat lent theres to expanded sarative iene The Old Test rent conveyed the esetial Chvinian message of hope forthe chieveent of eternal happiness though the saving ower oF along, snd forgiving God by means of iid marae and ates crise fn these. A faust was the sory of Jona, wha diabeyed God's onnmission to goto Ninech to presch gene it wihednes instead taking ship fee rm God anger During tors Jonah as thaw, tread (the war thought he wat balck, Jonah) and sale lew by «great at Af hice dys ints belly Jonah, who had prayed to God and ind been preserved fom death war shows op ‘nto the shore (Jonah 2) and then went on to Nineeh Aer ‘waming the Ninevtes that God would destroy thes, ie eid place fm which be could see Nsevel and waited under an iby vin, ‘Which potted him om the hot sun (Jonah 4). Sometimes oni one ‘ofthese epsodes mas shown, the most impart being Jonas rt, “under the vine, whic may sgget the expetrion ofthe dxtton ofthe sinning seul word at well a conteying Gol protection and fergvenoof ners. A sarcophagus made in Rome [22] emphases thisputof the stor showing «handsome ide Jona retin Thi ‘more than a Texan rendered penonifed version af the anchor deogram considered before, for shove Jonah vise linge of ‘he ip fon whith be was thrown ‘The sequence of episdes tat together tl the exert sory in sufficient deal eo convey the gst ofthe textual naive i ated Ieyond thisincpient ep ina namber of works. The sing ofa ta tesa [23] drs th el wey Eee eden in elseular compartments amanged if ecrmpesig the expanded texmi= nals of acaoast whose centre appt the Good Shepherd The Jonah "or leita siping yan on te own tems, based on amino’ book, ofthe Od Testament and isporeajed notfor entertainment or exo ‘atv val Tomes its prominence inthe east Chistian af the srmbolic value of coment That Jonah seemed to die but was Thug back om the dent afer thee dye sender him an obvious pra to, type for Csi dat onthe rose nd resurrection on serra he dys ater. Indeed, inthe Gospel (Matthews 9-4) Joa himself makes the rypoogial connec, saying that Eke ‘Tena the Son of Man wald be aif den for ce days. The asi ation ofthe Jona image bere withthe cross, and wit the Good Shep, songly suggests tat such caning wat intended inthe punting At the rame time, Jonai'dest in water and bit pring {ing om water reste int he symbohe death and rebie hrough ‘he rial ite of buptia ha continued tal entrance oo he eo dig the night efor he Fate celbet “This comples sal composition [28] was not urge for elated images occured als in catacombs on the ote sde of he ity How comand nt coincdetallytokpace in hieeaire such progamies were tramited resin mysterious. The formal similares are sting enough to suggest some overlap of pater if ‘ot mecesany worishop, but the arngenent of faa element ‘tealy Chistian iconography ina special form may have been pro ‘duo through visa memory the dese o emulate + mean ‘Scortive programme. The interest i native daoe some of the Snmeret in inceesing dtl but he ye he pnting ply that ‘of contemporry Rowan art whether pagan or ult No dntive (Chin se exist a thi period, whether tthe level of ple pi tograns or more sophisticated and expense objets that ivaled teme attempt at achieving beauty and conveying sexe please, The youth ude, alte Sgure of onah sary evkes the image ofanasceticprophet (22) and although this srcophages wa ceriny rade fora Citing, there na rao to hatha twas nde bya Chritan ati Rar not ere nad for particule or the Ins of here central gues, theveatea man and standing woman a the cent, were never carved dtl bt (neal ee other ges) ‘res ony roghed out This i somnon practice of Roman sculptors ‘ofthe srond and thin century? they developed stocks eal eo plete sarcopag withthe crrerly popula iagey, which could be Pachosod ad susie! for tone who would be red in the by Turning the cent Heads into porte This soph wat intended for someone of substantial wealth who winted tobe bu in 4 tomb that not only conveyed his andr her membership ofthe Cristian commucity tough is choice of mages, bur conveyed themugh their elegant syle culated tse, Although oily nodosa tied within the Chistian commit inl ‘ence wo its meaning soos, meaning that might be eomveyed trough ‘uel incited image-signs, meaning thatconinued asthe bode of ‘erly medical a, the defor beauty andthe exession of scl ‘Nau qkly cane sic actor at well. Artin the Christian sanctuary Most surviving Cetin art of hth century stems fom faneaty contest, atably the nay sucopag aod paintings the etcomibe ‘Rowe, I par this eect actientof survivin pat the por “ance for Christians of the ble that tei eligon offered a unsque sven toward ly enuretion and vicryoner death, We ar for tunate to bare Rad preserved oc lge-eale nan-foneay work of ein Clritian ut om the Chistian mecting howe at Dara The Atcoraton of the ner oom inthe saul converted hous, which teres the amen omm forthe eachariticsevc or My id not fare, bt asa oom nan oppite come i remarkably wel preserved. Tr served for lapis, the marking oF the body wth water tthe sign afte cows that enrol apron ache Cain com tant an chimed owas aaa hirer pics. Thiet ‘te wat performed bt cen line filling an extended peti ink and eduction nth Christan ft, The rom berate nbork undencaresthesigcae ofbapinnin aC ikethe Terhehrnein he neat snag [6], the owt are spot in the oon, bere the font of wae, med by an ach on Celis 26). The ma of the ac, above the wate, ws punted to resemble a stay sky and repressed the heaven fom which divine ggace descended upon the newly apie. On the valid the font the Good Shepherd, here a he fs her thar on he entra su represented anf ving age be of shexp bere bm, This inate parable ol by Jens (Mathew wag) in which the shepherds ove freen the single ot sheep epecnts Go fr ‘et human wou, even hove that have wanted ad been ke Tiny Eure at the ower let epreset Adam and Eve whose diobeence 10 God inode sin and dest into the word (Genesis). The tessaye tothe newly baptized inclu sin and death eaters the work through Adan diediene bet ogvenewofin and teal ifere one theough apt and a oueequent ie aa Cian ‘On the wal eae he bapa fone ae Gurl pigs. Ln the tower ange fee igure advance twas a cote ste ture crowned by two sears Deed in white and holding lighted ‘cles they eee the women iting the toni fFangel who announced his rection fom she tomb, his victory over death (Mathew a 6). Thestarerprsen heavenly ight, most ely the tea sngel, Arcane tthe corner of the rar bei the cffin-ike bap tsa font, the conographic connection between Chait victory ove death and the victory over sin apd death accomplihed thong apo foreach Chritnn eld scaly be more leas Undeeorng, the theme of God's miraculous poner to save lunaa beings who Teles in him ar the sll scnee in the apes regiter Chii ad egeralkng on waiter ada parsed man heed by Jos Pterand the pure owe ter iaclous ump othe thin the divine pers of Ch, and ae mas fe the Chenin undergoing the apna ite. ndeed, the women deed in white advancing towards the tomb are alo advancing towards the font, along withthe white rabed and surely candl-eaing ving people of Dur. Tis eal and ‘etvelycralypsited decoration ent only ich insybaiemean- ings a ad ben the near ato the early Chistian, bot ik ts imagery with Chess Kagal pertormances Religious at of non-Christian cults nate antiquity Te should not be infeed fiom the cvincidence of the expanding Cristian community with the appearance of Chrxian art tht the inf of ew and ether ignorant or ball beated Chistian exhine thebithof Chistian art The hid eneuyaa saci poltcal pie ital andatsticrevlutio nthe Roman world, Christanity was nly ‘one ofthe rapidly spreading new religions expesing th belie Tough ar and inal ar payed an incesingly asincive snd Arama role in conveying imperil esogy (Chsian,inclading te lender of he Chrch wanted osread their rmesage and in che Roman word inage ware an verwtelningly tractive and efeive mens of communication. When a chara ‘amod Aleander dectared himself e the prophet of aw dviity nued Glcon t+ meane of permaing prope py him fo ealing riracles waked by the god e peste the goa! i visual om, ating a feral oak over de hed fa tame serpent. Seen oan 4 Fale distance, end accompanied by appropiate smoke and sound ‘fos, the perfomance mat have ben idly senna expen ‘adi deverbndat mc inthe gt distr agin the new (and ‘hort led) culty the contemporay sti Luca, Gyeon survives sl neue image ofthe god (28) Te may sees lino ts, but "cha iniagerendent power inthe hind century bese the pit Cal hunger that deme many peopl a hunger that sought sation in ‘nual frm Gough images and pocsions often the seanger the Teter the tanfrmtion ofa ran nto anaes thaoagh the power of spuds popular stony "The citizen of che Roman world in ate andguity sponded to image, which underpded sen of personal and communal deny. other new slg rapidly spreading within ehe Roman wold the third century the cue of the Pesan god Mitra, developed tlaborate and exteasive iconography, os inthe Mithaeuy at Dur, thich contined images of Mis hunting rd enthroned’ Mit Tanctuase ren Sy to Soran had panting ov eet of Mika ling the cosmic bul, bringing le to the universe thesugh =scsi death, Lange than any other image i he sanctuary, often Fred by an arch with the vig ofthe none indian te cos ‘igicance, this image vee itl inappeanice, beng meaely ‘evngnial at leat to al believer. The image represents no fc fds but one evens the sume, represented not ass divine ppesenc, buts eytblilly charged dvi atv having only an {net rains othe ual cated out in hit wrap, Without reat det, without background or sting, hese rb dled he ‘igorous poner af the hese divinity overcoming the great beast by lacing one ce upon it ack pes it dr, an image whch well ‘expres the eset concept of Mithas power o shit and proce hivadheretsinthirworidand inthe ne A bronze brooch shows hi ‘central eligous image ken ot ofthe content of the sere elt oom and worn aa personal rmument and tan (26, probably by a Alevote who war aso nd snghthisgods potion n bate The Mitac image semsanaptexpession oftheconi between cal image, whether ina cult oe on a pesonal object not r= ry an aentheti object 0 be appreciated for it arta kl but functional elgious statement The parila form ofthe depiction is similar toa weno Roman itage, and wheter o abt wa Aerie fom thar Roman image, the formal analogy woul have tssned a Roman viewer o understand it The greatest Roman hero sre Eels (the Geek Here), be Laboars idling the world of lone, hydra, and other monte. From early Greet hich ad often been represented by avg him pes dwn fs behind, koesing with one fey onthe Back of the ext ‘wheter bull agaist 27 "The vast ant highly developed world of Roman vided many Famile not only zeauyemade for adaptation to ne onography pro Contests, but foul with at aleady eased sgucance chat ‘woul ake the meaning of the new image more readily recogeizable Borrowing the form of one of Herel dso he In chs camp Sisand eth bar resedercoak ietrbeonderteedin secs Mithni esode san conveyed he neon that Mitre asa benek wey That it was always resented according to the sume via center tke Herc. snoter example oft jut comment bt Formal scord with the pictorial yt ofthe ate Roman visa lan seperately meminghil adaptation of Ronan ioooyaphy, the face of Jonah resting een in Christian culprre and plating [2 23), vs borrowed fom the seeping Endymion, youth abou 0 be ‘ite hye pagan gcse Diana, who woul cay hr to heaven and give hi immo. ‘During he tid centary Chistian art began, an api became prof the Roman art word adapting many of steht sage, im which complions expres meaning, and variety of ‘peeson replace by repetition ad clarity Aral aa ges At these lime the Roman wel a nny ep saan Seng mor tht ofthe Chenin, The enghas on psn a rt that old be won wih th aitance a casng Dene ee fe god was shard not only with Mihir, but also with new tkevelopments within Roman elgion ite: During the care ofthe fecond centry, Roman burial practices shied fom cremation 10 inburation, and the sudden upuige in production of lage stone se Coplg evinces the increasing dese to preserve the Bod, implying tome sneha might be nested agsin® Even tational Greco Roman religion sited, Heres beng ening example Ia many texts fom late atienty be saddened ae Saou? al Avetr of Eni, and involed foe penton protection. Hit exploit, the most oma sbject on Rorransacopg on one example [27] promi rely feature an eps rain eae ancient arta Kteratie, the ‘pie with Ales [shown on page 30) Ovting a favour to he hnband’Admens, after Ake premature death Heres descended othe underwor and ed her back teen earth, ete represented hy the open door. This scene of pecona rsuection urs again apart of ple Heeues scenes na catacomb pain. ing ofthe nex enmuy (34), whose origin remaine mach debated,