1 The son of a consul, Junius followed in his father's footsteps and became prefect of Rome -the highest available position next to emperor. Just as rhetoricians were taught at this period to adjust their oratorical style to the intended audience, the choice of the classical style was seen as an indication of the high social status of the patron, Junius Bassus. The birth of Christian symbolism in art Mathews, Thomas. We can determine some intentionality in the inclusion of the Old and New Testament scenes. The inclusion of the suffering of Job on the left hand side of the lower register conveyed the meaning how even the righteous must suffer the discomforts and pains of this life. (For Bacchus, this figure was Silenus; for Jesus, it is usually Peter. The Bacchae (Focus Publishing, Massachusetts, 1998. For the purposes of this article, attention must be drawn to the depiction on the sarcophagus of Jesus riding a donkey. In paintings, Peter has white hair and Paul’s hair is black. THE SARCOPHAGUS of Junius Bassus is perhaps most noted for its style rather than its iconography, although the two are intricately connected. Peter and Paul held the status as the principle apostles. By the middle of the fourth century, Christia… Erotes in Christian and Greek art. 359) is of this type, and the earlier Dogmatic Sarcophagus rather simpler. $364,000 Roman Sarcophagus Was a Garden Ornament, Builders Uncovered Unique Sarcophagus in Israel… and Hid It, Ancient Roman Sarcophagus of Great Archaeological Value Discovered in Central London, Sarcophagus of Egyptian High Priest Unearthed with Hieroglyphic Inscriptions and Scenes of Offerings, Skeleton found inside Limestone Sarcophagus in Amphipolis Tomb. The feet of Christ in the Junius Bassus relief rest on the head of a bearded, muscular figure, who holds a billowing veil spread over his head. This moment symbolizes Jesus of Nazareth's return to Jerusalem, just as Bacchus triumphantly returned to Rome (or Greece) from his eastern adventures. By the middle of the fourth century Christianity had undergone a dramatic transformation. The use of a sarcophagus as an early medium for Christian visuals would therefore still speak to both religious sects, though with the former quite obviously on the way out the door. This sarcophagus belonged to Junius Bassus, a city prefect of Rome who became a Christian and was baptized before his death in 359. Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker, Church of St. Peter and the Church of St. Paul Outside the Walls, https://web.archive.org/web/20130425082655/http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/sarcophagus-of-junius-bassus.html, CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1057_-_Roma,_Museo_d._civilt%C3%A0_Romana_-_Calco_sarcofago_Giunio_Basso_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall%27Orto,_12-Apr-2008.jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bas_relief_from_Arch_of_Marcus_Aurelius_Marcus_Aurelius_showing_his_clemence_to_barbarii.jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1056_-_Roma,_Museo_d._civilt%C3%A0_Romana_-_Calco_sarcofago_Giunio_Basso_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall%27Orto,_12-Apr-2008.jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1060_-_Roma,_Museo_d._civilt%C3%A0_Romana_-_Calco_sarcofago_Giunio_Basso_-_Foto_Giovanni_Dall%27Orto,_12-Apr-2008.jpg, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Isaac_sarcifice_Pio_Christiano_Inv31648.jpg. 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