1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910821344303321

Autore

Hannestad Niels <1943->

Titolo

What did the sarcophagus of Symmachus look like? : late antique pagan sarcophagi / / Niels Hannestad

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Aarhus, Denmark : , : Aarhus University Press, , [2019]

©2019

ISBN

87-7184-156-3

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (98 pages) : : illustrations ;

Disciplina

733.5

Soggetti

Paganism in art

Relief (Sculpture), Roman

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references.

Nota di contenuto

Cover -- Title Page -- Colophon -- Contents -- Introduction -- The revival of mythological sculpture -- The question of pagan sarcophagi in Late Antiquity -- The City of Rome -- Luxury crafts -- The Getty sarcophagus in the context of Late Antique mythological sculpture -- Mythological marble sculpture of Late Antiquity - an overview -- Muse sarcophagi -- Dionysian/Season sarcophagi -- Sarcophagi with Nereids and sea centaurs -- Sarcophagi with mythological themes -- Hunting sarcophagi -- Chronology - the end of production -- Postscript -- Bibliography -- Credit of photographs.

Sommario/riassunto

"This book concerns the chronology of Roman mythological sarcophagi. The traditional chronology assumes a peak in production during the reign of Gallienus (AD 259-268) that fades away in the reign of Constantine. This chronology has some obvious flaws. The supposed peak under the reign of Gallienus, when the empire was falling apart, can only be described as a mirage. Some very fine sarcophagi were indeed produced in this period, but the number is very limited. With the reign of Constantine (AD 306-337) came wealth, and the so-called 'villa boom' that also revived sculpture in the round. At that time, it is believed that production of pagan sarcophagi had ceased to be replaced by Christian sarcophagi. This raises a very simple question, however: how were pagans buried? No doubt production of pagan



sarcophagi continued beyond the turn of the century and Symmachus, who died in AD 402, was buried in such a sarcophagus."--Back cover