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Tre capitali cristiane. Topografia e politica
Lo sviluppo di Milano, Roma e Costantinopoli studiato attraverso un originale intreccio di architettura e storia politica, religiosa, sociale.
L'imperatore Costantino, cristiano, fa erigere nella capitale da poco conquistata la cattedrale in una zona lontana dai quartieri che ospitano la folta comunità cristiana di Roma. È una anomalia su cui questo libro di Krautheimer si interroga, interpretando una fitta "topografia politica" che attraversa la storia dell'architettura e quella politica, le questioni di ecclesiologia e di dottrina cristiana.
La chiave per decifrare l'enigma è trovata negli scritti del tempo, nello studio della legislazione, nell'esame delle iscrizioni e della monetazione. Scegliendo per la basilica del Laterano un luogo periferico, Costantino voleva ridurre al minimo ogni ragione di attrito con l'opposizione pagana, assai forte in Senato, che privilegiava e proteggeva i numerori santuari eretti al centro della città. Più tardi, col trasferimento a Costantinopoli della capitale, l'opposizione si fa meno pressante, il sito e il carattere dei monumenti piú importanti continuano a riflettere conflitti ideologici e politici, come quello tra la profonda, persistente convinzione della propria divinità come imperatore e il concetto di Cristo come Dio Unico e Imperatore dell'Universo.
Anche nei casi della Milano dell'età di sant'Ambrogio, e della Roma dei primi papi, come della Roma costantiniana e di Costantinopoli, Krautheimer arriva a intuizioni di assoluta novità storica: servendosi dei monumenti architettonici e della loro collocazione urbana, può mettere in evidenza le complesse relazioni tra potere politico e credenze religiose che hanno profondamente plasmato la vita di ognuna di queste capitali cristiane.
203 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
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August 10, 2015
This is an interesting little book of lectures by famed art historian Richard Krautheimer examining the interplay between politics and architecture in three Christian capitals - Rome, Constantinople, and Milan - in the fourth and fifth centuries.
In the first section, Krautheimer explores the tentative introduction of Christian archaeology to Rome after Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge in 312. He notes how Constantine, despite an ever-growing attraction to and commitment to Christianity, was rather hesitant to put his full weight behind the building of Christian architecture in Rome. When he did sure - most notably in the Lateran basilica and the later construction of St. Peter's - he did so by either building outside the city walls (St. Peter's) or on his own private property, well outside the traditional, pagan center of the empire (St. John Lateran). While doing this, Constantine continued to fulfill the traditional imperial role of public building projects on public land, often walking a fine line of ambiguity between the Christian and pagan faiths.
The second section shifts the focus to Constantinople, where Constantine - finally free of all those pesky pagan senatorial families - could build his own 'Christian capital' on the Bosporus. Krautheimer explores how Constantine's immense building projects can cast light onto his own view of Christianity - how he increasingly became devoted to the faith and in many ways began to see himself as a kind of imperial analogue to Christ on earth.
The third section, looking at Milan, examines how architecture and basilica building fit into the worsening conflict between Arians and non-Arians (or, as Krautheimer calls them, pro- and anti-Nicenes) in Milan during the latter half of the fourth century. Of particular focus is the Basilica Portiana (the same church, it is argued, that later went by the name S. Lorenzo). This church was the center of a protracted dispute over ecclesiastical power in the city, and Krautheimer argues that while it was initially built outside the walls for the anti-Nicene supporters at the imperial court, the fiery bishop Ambrose tried to wrest it into the control of the pro-Nicene camp, all as a part of a "Battle of the cathedrals" occurring throughout the city.
Finally, the book turns back to Rome after the imperial court had largely abandoned it for Milan, Ravenna, Constantinople. Now a firmly Christian city under the authority of the papacy, Rome was in the odd position of having its religious and administrative center - the Lateran - rather far away from where people in the city actually lived (see part I). Krautheimer finishes things up by looking at how the papacy tried to address this - largely by redecorating the Lateran and by establishing huge churches directly tied to the Lateran closer to the city center like St. Stefano in Rotundo and Santa Maria Maggiore - and how it ultimately failed, as the spiritual center of the city shifted more and more to St. Peter's.
The book is an interesting if slightly dry read, and it walks a fun line between archaeological nitpicking and big-picture speculation.
In the first section, Krautheimer explores the tentative introduction of Christian archaeology to Rome after Constantine's victory at the Milvian Bridge in 312. He notes how Constantine, despite an ever-growing attraction to and commitment to Christianity, was rather hesitant to put his full weight behind the building of Christian architecture in Rome. When he did sure - most notably in the Lateran basilica and the later construction of St. Peter's - he did so by either building outside the city walls (St. Peter's) or on his own private property, well outside the traditional, pagan center of the empire (St. John Lateran). While doing this, Constantine continued to fulfill the traditional imperial role of public building projects on public land, often walking a fine line of ambiguity between the Christian and pagan faiths.
The second section shifts the focus to Constantinople, where Constantine - finally free of all those pesky pagan senatorial families - could build his own 'Christian capital' on the Bosporus. Krautheimer explores how Constantine's immense building projects can cast light onto his own view of Christianity - how he increasingly became devoted to the faith and in many ways began to see himself as a kind of imperial analogue to Christ on earth.
The third section, looking at Milan, examines how architecture and basilica building fit into the worsening conflict between Arians and non-Arians (or, as Krautheimer calls them, pro- and anti-Nicenes) in Milan during the latter half of the fourth century. Of particular focus is the Basilica Portiana (the same church, it is argued, that later went by the name S. Lorenzo). This church was the center of a protracted dispute over ecclesiastical power in the city, and Krautheimer argues that while it was initially built outside the walls for the anti-Nicene supporters at the imperial court, the fiery bishop Ambrose tried to wrest it into the control of the pro-Nicene camp, all as a part of a "Battle of the cathedrals" occurring throughout the city.
Finally, the book turns back to Rome after the imperial court had largely abandoned it for Milan, Ravenna, Constantinople. Now a firmly Christian city under the authority of the papacy, Rome was in the odd position of having its religious and administrative center - the Lateran - rather far away from where people in the city actually lived (see part I). Krautheimer finishes things up by looking at how the papacy tried to address this - largely by redecorating the Lateran and by establishing huge churches directly tied to the Lateran closer to the city center like St. Stefano in Rotundo and Santa Maria Maggiore - and how it ultimately failed, as the spiritual center of the city shifted more and more to St. Peter's.
The book is an interesting if slightly dry read, and it walks a fun line between archaeological nitpicking and big-picture speculation.
Displaying 1 of 1 review