Early Christian

• The Tetrarchy was established in 293 CE by the Emperor Diocletian. It consisted of four different rulers, two head emperors (originally Diocletain and Maximian) and two junior emperors (originally Constantius and Galerius). These four Emperors spit the empire into four districts and each ruled separately.

  
• After Diocletian stepped down, his successors began to struggle for control of the Roman Empire almost immediately
• Eastern Rome had Constantine and Western Rome had Maxentius
• The battle took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius
• Constantine won the battle and started on the path that led him to end the Tetrarchy and become the sole ruler of the Roman Empire
• The Battle of the Milvian Bridge marked the beginning of Constantine's conversion to Christianity
• Constantine had a vision sent by the Christian God with the words "In Hoc Signo Vinces" (in this sign you shall conquer)
• Chi-Rho


  A symbol formed by superimposing the first two capital letters chi (X) and rho (Ρ) of the Greek word Christ (Χρίστος) in such a way to produce the monogram, used by the Roman emperor Constantine I as vexillum
• Constantine I became emperor of the western part of the Roman empire after defeating Maxentius
• Constantine I eventually conquered the eastern part to once again unify the Roman empire
• Constantine I was the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity
• Christianity


  • Religion founded by Jesus of Nazareth (33 AD)
  • Catholics (Catholo Greek "Universal")
  • Lay / Layco (Faithful members of Catholism)
  • Apostle's Creed
• Before Constantine, the Christian religion was discredited and persecuted, and Christians worshipped in secret in hidden worship places or in Hypogeum
• The Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. gave Christians and unspecified "others" indulgence to worship as they please, and also mandated the return of property that had previously been confiscated
• After the Edict of Milan, the Eastern part of the Roman Empire became the center of power and architectural development, including Ravena, Rome, and Constantinople
• Early Christian Architecture


  • Developed from existing architectural forms
  • Thermal baths as baptisteries
  • Secular Basilica (venues for appearance of emperor (God) became the Christian Basilica/Church/ Martyria
• Geological influence


  • Constructed according to Roman methods of using rubble or concrete, faced with plaster, brick or stone
• Basilica


  An early Christian Church characterized by a long, rectangular plan, a high colonnaded nave lit by a clerestory and covered by a timber gable roof, two or four lower side aisles, a semi-circular apse at the end, a narthex, and often other features such as an atrium, a bema, and small semi-circular apses terminating the aisles
• The basilica began as a martyrium, a cemetery developed around the grave of the martyrs
• The lower aisle roofs permit direct light to enter the nave through high clerestory windows
• Early Christian Churches


  • S. Giovanni Laterano
  • Old St. Peter's, Rome
  • St. Paolo Fuori le Mura
• Ciborium


  A form of canopy supported by columns over the holy table, sometimes also called a baldachin
• Mosaic decoration was added internally and sometimes also externally on west facades, with little regard paid to external architectural effect
• Early Christian Mosaics


  • Example of Early Christian Mosaic
• The Church of the Nativity was originally commissioned in 327 by Constantine the Great and his mother Helena on the site that was traditionally considered to be located over the cave marking the birthplace of Jesus
• The original basilica was completed in 339 but was later destroyed, and a new basilica was built by Justinian restoring the architectural tone of the original
• The Church of the Holy Sepulchre contains, according to traditions dating back to at least the fourth century, the two holiest sites in Christianity: the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified, at a place known as "Calvary" or "Golgotha", and Jesus's empty tomb, where he is said to have been buried and resurrected