10.
early Christian art: *
Good Shepherd from the Catacomb of Priscilla, 250–300 AD
wall painting
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Romanesque-Gothic church porches of Saxony & S France: *
12.
Peisistratidae: *
Peisistratos (born 6th century- 527 BC), tyrant (a non-heritable position taken by purely personal ability, often in violation of tradition or constitutional norms) of Athens whose unification of Attica, and his consolidation & rapid improvement of Athens’ economy helped make possible the city’s later pre-eminence in Greece; famous for instituting the Panathenaic Festival (566 B.C) and the first attempt at producing a definitive version of the Homeric epics. He championed the lower class of Athens & is an early example of populism. While in power he did not hesitate to confront the aristocracy & greatly reduced their privileges, confiscated their lands and gave them to the poor, and funded many religious and artistic programs.
Peisistratos died in 527 & his eldest son, Hippias, succeeded him. Along with this brother, Hipparchus, they ruled Athens much as their father had. After a successful murder plot against Hipparchus conceived by Harmodius and Aristogeiton, Hippias became paranoid and oppressive. This change caused the people of Athens to hold Hippias in low regard. Eventually forced into exile.
The west portal presents the Apocalypse according to St. John & St. Matthew. Christ is seated in majesty in the tympanum, with the symbols of the Evangelists around him (the angel of St. Matthew, the lion of St. Mark, the bull of St. Luke, and the eagle of St. John). The Apostles seated below him. To the left of the portal, a procession of chosen Christians are going to heaven, while to the right sinners are cast into hell. The decoration of the portal includes a multitude of Biblical scenes: the Annunciation, the Baptism of Christ, the Adoration of the Magi, the Magi before Herod, the Massacre of the Innocents, shepherds with their flocks. On the lower level, separated by pilasters & columns of dark stone, are statues of saints connected with Arles; on the left, St. Bartholomew, St. James the Great, St. Trophimus, St. John the Evangelist, and St. Peter; and on the right, St. Philip, St. James the Just, St. Stephen, St. Andrew, and St. Paul. The bases of the columns beside the portal are decorated with statues of lions, Samson and Delilah, and Samson and the Lion.