Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs
Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs, from Constantinople, c. 305, porphyry, 4' 3 high (St. Marks, Venice). Speakers: Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
VENICE, MYSTERIOUS 3rd century BYZANTINE SCULPTURE in ST MARK'S BASILICA ⛪ (ITALY)
SUBSCRIBE: - Let's view the very curious 'The Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs' which is a porphyry sculpture group of four Roman emperors dating from around 300 AD. Since the Middle Ages it has been fixed to a corner of the façade of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. It probably originally formed part of the decorations of the Philadelphion in Constantinople, and was removed to Venice in 1204 or soon after.
Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.
Italy, a European country with a long Mediterranean coastline, has left a powerful mark on Western culture and cuisine. Its capital, Rome, is home to the Vatican as well as landmark art and ancient ruins. Other major cities include Florence, with Renaissance masterpieces such as Michelangelo’s David and Brunelleschi's Duomo; Venice, the city of canals; and Milan, Italy’s fashion capital.
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Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs
A brief discussion of the Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs
Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs
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Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs
The Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs is a porphyry sculpture group of four Roman emperors dating from around 300 AD.
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Byzantine Places #4: The Portrait of the Tetrarchs
In St. Mark's Square, Venice, we encounter a unique statue of four emperors, one of whom is missing a foot. Learn the story behind this work of art (and politics).
Online history mini-classes with Sean Munger. Learn something fun!
Venice, Four Tetrarchs: Diocletian Maximian Galerius Constantius (manortiz)
Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs (Tetrachs) (Diocletian - Maximian - Galerius - Constantius)
Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs is a porphyry sculpture group of four Roman emperors placed into a corner of the façade of St. Mark’s Basilica. Its history was a mystery until 1960s. During Bodrum Camii (Myrelaion Palace) excavations in 1960s, directed by Cecil Striker and Istanbul Archaeological Museums, a small porphyry piece was discovered. It was found out that small porphyry piece was a piece belonging to Portrait of the Four Tetrarchs. In addition, Russian pilgrims who visited Constantinople in the tenth and eleventh centuries attest that prominent intersection point of Constantinople (Philadelphion) was decorated with two columns carrying porphyry emperors’ statues.
It is very probable that these sculptures were brought to Venice by the Fourth Crusader after 1204, because another Russian pilgrim visited Constantinople right after 1204 describes these sculptures “as large as people and made from red marble. The Franks damaged them; one was split in two and the other had its hand and feet broken.” Today, the sculptures are visible in the courtyard of St. Mark’s Basilica, whereas the missing heel is being exhibited in the second floor of Istanbul Archaeological Museums next to the Topkapı Palace
Plunder, war, and the Horses of San Marco
Horses of San Marco (ancient Greek or Roman, likely Imperial Rome), 4th century B.C.E. to 4th century C.E., copper alloy, 235 x 250 cm each (Basilica of San Marco, Venice), an ARCHES video
Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker
Ancient Rome: Late Empire
Review of Key Works of the Art of the High and Late Empire
Conclusion of Pantheon: 0:06-1:49
Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius: 1:50-4:41
Portrait Bust of Commodus as Hercules: 4:42-6:04
Painted Portrait of Septimus Severus, Julia Domna, Geta, Caracalla: 6:05-8:00
Portraits of the four tetrarchs: 8:01-11:08
Failure of the Tetrarchy, Maxentius: 11:09-11:39
Arch of Constantine: 11:40-13:25
Portrait of Constantine: 13:25-13:57
Basilica Nova [Basilica of Maxentius, completed as Basilica of Constantine] -- I know, so many names!: 13:57-14:48
Saving Venice
A conversation about the issues facing Venice and efforts to save the historic city, with Lisa Ackerman, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, World Monuments Fund and Steven Zucker
An ARCHES video
Capitoline Brutus
4th-3rd century B.C.E. bronze, 69 cm (Capitoline Museums, Rome)
Speakers; Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
Giovanni Bellini, San Zaccaria Altarpiece
Giovanni Bellini, San Zaccaria Altarpiece, 1505, oil on wood transferred to canvas, 16 feet 5-1/2 inches x 7 feet 9 inches (San Zaccaria, Venice). Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris & Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
123. Roman Architecture. The Rise of the Tetrarchy
Roman Architecture. The Rise of the Tetrarchy
Il gruppo scultoreo dei tetrarchi
Un estratto dal video della Khan Academy Portraits of the Four Tetrarchs, from Constantinople, di Beth Harris and Steven Zucker. con sottotitoli in italiano.
Horses of Saint Mark - Video Learning - WizScience.com
The Horses of Saint Mark, also known as the Triumphal Quadriga, is a set of bronze statues of four horses, originally part of a monument depicting a quadriga The horses were placed on the facade, on the loggia above the porch, of St Mark's Basilica in Venice, northern Italy after the sack of Constantinople in 1204. They remained there until looted by Napoleon in 1797 but were returned in 1815. The sculptures have been removed from the facade and placed in the interior of St. Mark's for conservation purposes, with replicas in their position on the loggia.
The sculptures date from classical antiquity and have been attributed to the 4th century BC Greek sculptor Lysippos, although this has not been widely accepted. Although called bronze, analysis suggests that as they are at least 96.67% copper, they should be seen as an impure copper rather than bronze. The high tin content increased the casting temperature to 1200–1300 °C. The high purity copper was chosen to give a more satisfactory mercury gilding. Given current knowledge of ancient technology, this method of manufacture suggests a Roman rather than a Hellenistic origin.
It is certain that the horses, along with the quadriga with which they were depicted were long displayed at the Hippodrome of Constantinople; they may be the four gilt horses that stand above the Hippodrome that came from the island of Chios under Theodosius II mentioned in the 8th- or early 9th-century Parastaseis syntomoi chronikai. They were still there in 1204, when they were looted by Venetian forces as part of the sack of the capital of the Byzantine Empire in the Fourth Crusade. The collars on the four horses were added in 1204 to obscure where the animals heads had been severed to allow them to be transported from Constantinople to Venice. Shortly after the Fourth Crusade, Doge Enrico Dandolo sent the horses to Venice, where they were installed on the terrace of the façade of St. Mark's Basilica in 1254. Petrarch admired them there.
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Guide to the Tetrarchy
This is a guide to the tetrarchy. The series of events that brought the system that had brought an end to political turmoil, which itself ended in political turmoil with the final victory of Constantine the Great bring civil war and power struggles to an end and with it the tetrarchy.
Other Tetrarchy Video:
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Bibliography:
Aurelius Victor, De Caesaribus, Translated by Bird, H. W. (1994)
Eutropius, Abridgement of Roman History, Translated by Watson, J. S. (1853).
Lactantius, On the Deaths of the Persecutors, Translated by Vanderspoel, J. (1998)
Barnes, T.D. (1982) New Empire of Diocletian and Constantine, Cambridge.
Elton, H. (2018) The Roman Empire in Late Antiquity A Political and
Military History, Cambridge.
Harries, J. (2012) Imperial Rome AD 284–363: The New Empire, Edinburgh.
Jones, A. H. M. (1964) The Later Roman Empire 284-602 2 Vol, Cambridge.
Potter, D. S. (2004) The Roman Empire at Bay AD180-395, London.
Rees. R, (2004) Diocletian and the Tetrarchy, Edinburgh.
Williams, S. (1985) Diocletian and the Roman Recovery, London.
Music Credit:
'Time' by Ed Lima and Stephen Maitland from Empire Earth by Stainless Steel Studios.
'Blackrock and Roll' by Glen Stafford from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos by Blizzard Entertainment.
'Blackrock and Roll' by Glen Stafford from World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor by Blizzard Entertainment.
All images used are for educational purposes, if I have used a piece of art and you would like me to credit you, please contact me and I shall do so.
Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna
Sant'Apollinare in Classe, Ravenna, Italy, c. 533-49 (apse mosaic, 6th century, triumphal arch mosaics, likely c. 7th-12th centuries) Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris & Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna
The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, 425 C.E., Ravenna, Italy Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris and Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
San Vitale, Ravenna
San Vitale is one of the most important surviving examples of Byzantine architecture and mosaic work. It was begun in 526 or 527 under Ostrogothic rule. It was consecrated in 547 and completed soon after. Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris, Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker.
The Story of Porphyry
A close look at the quarry to crate processes involved with Porphyry
Looting, collecting, and exhibiting: the Bubon bronzes
Bronze statue of a nude male figure, Greek or Roman, Hellenistic or Imperial, c. 200 B.C.E. - c. 200 C.E. (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
ARCHES: At Risk Cultural Heritage Education Series
Speakers: Dr. Elizabeth Marlowe and Dr. Steven Zucker