In what ways did people during the Middle Ages build upon the achievements of the ancient world|Quick homework help
Posted: February 16th, 2023
In what ways did people during the Middle Ages build upon the achievements of the ancient world, such as those of Ancient Greece, Rome, and/or Egypt? Would it also be accurate to say that the Middle Ages represented a loss or weakening of achievement? Why? In what ways are the arts and cultures of Asia and Africa related or unrelated to the arts and cultures of the Europeans? Discuss cultural, political, and technological aspects of medieval life.
Reading: Early Christian Art The beginnings of an identifiable Christian art can be traced to the end of the second century and the beginning of the third century. Considering the Old Testament prohibitions against graven images, it is important to consider why Christian art developed in the first place. The use of images will be a continuing issue in the history of Christianity. The best explanation for the emergence of Christian art in the early church is due to the important role images played in Greco-Roman culture.
As Christianity gained converts, these new Christians had been brought up on the value of images in their previous cultural experience and they wanted to continue this in their Christian experience. For example, there was a change in burial practices in the Roman world away from cremation to inhumation. Outside the city walls of Rome, adjacent to major roads, catacombs were dug into the ground to bury the dead. Families would have chambers or cubicula dug to bury their members. Wealthy Romans would also have sarcophagi or marble tombs carved for their burial. The Christian converts wanted the same things. Christian catacombs were dug frequently adjacent to non-Christian ones, and sarcophagi with Christian imagery were apparently popular with the richer Christians.
Junius Bassus Sarcophagus
Junius Bassus, a Roman praefectus urbi or high ranking government administrator, died in 359 C.E. Scholars believe that he converted to Christianity shortly before his death accounting for the inclusion of Christ and scenes from the Bible. (Photograph above shows a plaster cast of the original.)
Themes of Death and Resurrection (Borrowed from the Old Testament)
A striking aspect of the Christian art of the third century is the absence of the imagery that will dominate later Christian art. We do not find in this early period images of the Nativity, Crucifixion, or Resurrection of Christ, for example. This absence of direct images of the life of Christ is best explained by the status of Christianity as a mystery religion. The story of the Crucifixion and Resurrection would be part of the secrets of the cult.
While not directly representing these central Christian images, the theme of death and resurrection was represented through a series of images, many of which were derived from the Old Testament that echoed the themes. For example, the story of Jonah—being swallowed by a great fish and then after spending three days and three nights in the belly of the beast is vomited out on dry ground—was seen by early Christians as an anticipation or prefiguration of the story of Christ’s own death and resurrection. Images of Jonah, along with those of Daniel in the Lion’s Den, the Three Hebrews in the Firey Furnace, Moses Striking the Rock, among others, are widely popular in the Christian art of the third century, both in paintings and on sarcophagi.
All of these can be seen to allegorically allude to the principal narratives of the life of Christ. The common subject of salvation echoes the major emphasis in the mystery religions on personal salvation. The appearance of these subjects frequently adjacent to each other in the catacombs and sarcophagi can be read as a visual litany: save me Lord as you have saved Jonah from the belly of the great fish, save me Lord as you have saved the Hebrews in the desert, save me Lord as you have saved Daniel in the Lion’s den, etc.
One can imagine that early Christians—who were rallying around the nascent religious authority of the Church against the regular threats of persecution by imperial authority—would find great meaning in the story of Moses of striking the rock to provide water for the Israelites fleeing the authority of the Pharaoh on their exodus to the Promised Land.
Christianity’s Canonical Texts and the New Testament
One of the major differences between Christianity and the public cults was the central role faith plays in Christianity and the importance of orthodox beliefs. The history of the early Church is marked by the struggle to establish a canonical set of texts and the establishment of orthodox doctrine.
Questions about the nature of the Trinity and Christ would continue to challenge religious authority. Within the civic cults there were no central texts and there were no orthodox doctrinal positions. The emphasis was on maintaining customary traditions. One accepted the existence of the gods, but there was no emphasis on belief in the gods.
The Christian emphasis on orthodox doctrine has its closest parallels in the Greek and Roman world to the role of philosophy. Schools of philosophy centered around the teachings or doctrines of a particular teacher. The schools of philosophy proposed specific conceptions of reality. Ancient philosophy was influential in the formation of Christian theology. For example, the opening of the
Gospel of John: “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God…,” is unmistakably based on the idea of the “logos” going back to the philosophy of Heraclitus (ca. 535 – 475 BCE). Christian apologists like Justin Martyr writing in the second century understood Christ as the Logos or the Word of God who served as an intermediary between God and the World.
Early Representations of Christian and the Apostles
Christ, from the Catacomb of Domitilla
An early representation of Christ found in the Catacomb of Domitilla shows the figure of Christ flanked by a group of his disciples or students. Those experienced with later Christian imagery might mistake this for an image of the Last Supper, but instead this image does not tell any story. It conveys rather the idea that Christ is the true teacher.
Christ draped in classical garb holds a scroll in his left hand while his right hand is outstretched in the so-called ad locutio gesture, or the gesture of the orator. The dress, scroll, and gesture all establish the authority of Christ, who is placed in the center of his disciples. Christ is thus treated like the philosopher surrounded by his students or disciples.
Comparably, an early representation of the apostle Paul, identifiable with his characteristic pointed beard and high forehead, is based on the convention of the philosopher, as exemplified by a Roman copy of a late fourth century B.C.E. portrait of the fifth century B.C.E. playwright Sophocles.
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Early Christian Art. Authored by: Dr. Allen Farber. Provided by: Khan Academy. Located at: https://web.archive.org/web/20140215031108/http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/early -christian-art-in-the-2nd-and-3rd-centuries.html (https://web.archive.org/web/20140215031108/http://smarthistory.khanacademy.org/early- christian-art-in-the-2nd-and-3rd-centuries.html) . License: CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution- NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
SOLUTION
During the Middle Ages, people built upon the achievements of the ancient world in many ways. For example, they continued to use the Roman system of law and governance, which helped to provide stability and order in society. The medieval period also saw advances in technology, such as the invention of the mechanical clock, the development of paper-making, and improvements in agricultural methods, which were based on ancient knowledge and practices.
In addition, the medieval period saw the continuation of the classical tradition of learning, with works by ancient Greek and Roman scholars being studied and translated into Latin. This helped to preserve and spread knowledge throughout Europe, and provided the foundation for the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution.
It would not be accurate to say that the Middle Ages represented a loss or weakening of achievement, as this period saw many important developments in fields such as art, literature, and architecture. For example, the Gothic style of architecture, which emerged in the 12th century, represented a major innovation in building design, and is still admired today for its beauty and complexity.
The arts and cultures of Asia and Africa are related to the arts and cultures of Europe in some ways, but also have their own unique characteristics. For example, Asian art is often characterized by a focus on spirituality and the natural world, while African art is known for its bold colors and use of geometric patterns. In contrast, European art has traditionally emphasized realism and the human form, although this has changed over time with the development of new styles and movements.
Cultural, political, and technological aspects of medieval life were all intertwined. For example, the power and authority of the Catholic Church was a dominant force in medieval Europe, influencing everything from art and architecture to politics and social norms. Technological innovations such as the printing press helped to spread knowledge and ideas more widely, leading to the growth of a more literate and educated population. At the same time, political power was often highly decentralized, with numerous small kingdoms and fiefdoms vying for control over land and resources.
Overall, the Middle Ages were a complex and multifacet
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