JAN. 24:  PAGANS, CHRISTIANS, AND PERSECUTION

 

Traditional religion, traditional family values:  the emperor Augustus as pontifex maximus

augustus.jpg (114823 bytes)

Altar to Mars and Venus:

MarsVenusAltar.jpg (292111 bytes)

 

Roman caricatures of Christianity:  third-century graffiti, "Alexamenos is worshipping his god"

Alexamenos.jpg (270548 bytes)

 

The Catacombs:

Catacombs01.jpg (516780 bytes)

Catacombs02.jpg (583663 bytes)

For much, much more on the Roman Catacombs, check out this website maintained by the Vatican.

 

Early Christian art:

PassionSarcophagus.jpg (538086 bytes)

 

Roman fascination with violence:  gladiators...

Gladiators.jpg (127299 bytes)

 

...and martyrs.  Damnatio ad bestias:

Ad Bestias 2.jpg (31975 bytes)

 

orant.jpg (458266 bytes)

 

A persecuting emperor:  Diocletian

DiocletianBust.jpg (254122 bytes)