On Early Byzantine Images of Poleis

Late antique representations of cities, particularly those found on the mosaic pavement of Saint Stephen at Kastron Mefaa (modern Umm ar-Rasas, Jordan), reveal a profound connection between eschatological salvation and pilgrimage networks. The study demonstrates that these cityscapes and personifications were not merely artistic expressions but carried significant political and ideological messages. They symbolized 'order' and 'economy,' key concepts in Byzantine political thought, ensuring social well-being for inhabitants and safe pilgrimage routes for the faithful. This notion of good administration extended to city personifications, further emphasizing Byzantium's political ideology of ecumenicity and Constantinople's civilizing mission during Justinian's era. The research approach involved analyzing a profuse assemblage of artifacts, including the Carolingian ivory diptych with Roma and Constantinopolis, to uncover these underlying messages.

Albani, J. P. (2023). On Early Byzantine Images of Poleis. The Routledge Handbook of the Byzantine City, 405–426. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429203923-24