Justinian and His Attendants and Theodora and Her Attendants are two mosaics that can be found in the church Vitale of Ravenna, Italy. Depicting the emperor Justinian and his wife Theodora, these two pieces flank the altar, and imply that the two are chosen by Jesus to lead his holy army. A prominent symbol for the unification of church and state during his reign, these mosaics would impress Justinian's mark upon Italy, despite being thousands of miles away in the Eastern capital, Constantinople. This singular symbol, however, seems to be his sole mark upon Ravenna, and might lead one to ponder on how Justinian acted as emperor. What makes these pieces so unique, and why were they important to Justinian? For these answers we might want to look further into Justinian’s career as an emperor, to find out his goals, and to see what other famous works of art he had a hand in over the years.
Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Justinianus was born in 482 CE in Tauresium. The name Justinianus was given to him as a nickname by his adoptive father (and uncle), emperor Justin, who became emperor by gaining popularity and executing the current emperor, Amantius. Only nine years later, after Justin’s untimely death, did Justinian succeed his uncle to the throne, not before taking his wife Theodora’s hand in marriage. Justinian’s first year as emperor saw the enactment of many laws ruling against Manichaeans, Pagans, and Samaritans, which were enacted as a way to curve more citizens towards Christianity. Justinian persecuted the Samaritans, eventually sparking a revolt that ended in the death of their leader and some 20,000 Samaritans being sold into slavery. Justinian would soon include the Jews in such persecutions, renovating places of worship of both Pagans and Jews into churches. From there, Justinian and Theodora would pave their career in blood, in the name of the church and the empire. When the ‘Nika’ riots threatened to chase Justinian from Constantinople, Theodora roused him into taking action, and he sent generals Belisarius and Mundo to massacre the rioters. When King Heldric of the Vandal Kingdoms was stripped from the throne, Justinian sent Belisarius and 18,000 men to annihilate the usurper’s armies, and hunt him down, under the aim, “to rescue Africa from their Arian Vandal rulers whose persecution of Catholics was notorious” (“Justinian (527-565 A.D.).” Roman Emperors). The campaign that brought him the most notoriety was, of course, against the Ostrogoths, which would result in Justinian taking Ravenna.
The campaign began after the assassination of Empress Amalasuintha by her cousin Theodahad. Amalasuintha was an ally of Justinian, who he’d promised refuge in Constantinople if need be. Justinian saw this assassination as the perfect excuse to attack the Gothic regime, especially after his overwhelming victory over the Vandals. His initial invasion involved generals Mundo and Belisarius attacking from two different routes. Mundo was defeated and killed a year later in Dalmatia, while Belisarius achieved one victory after another. Angered by Theodahad’s continued losses, the people elected a new king, and murdered Theodahad in the city of Ravenna. Through a web of deceptions and betrayals, Belisarius would continue through Italy, overtaking Ravenna in 540, and eventually returning home to Constantinople at the orders of Justinian. This campaign saw its way through Dalmatia, Sicily, Palermo, Syracuse, Naples, Rome, Rimini, Milan, and finally Ravenna. Cities were ransacked and destroyed, some besieged for a year at a time, leaving Italy destitute and ruined.
Yet, in the wake of all this death and destruction, Justinian stood strong. As the war against the Ostrogoth was coming to an end, Justinian took to implementing a set of mosaics in the San Vitale, which was being constructed in Ravenna before the start of Justinian’s campaign. These mosaics were of course the Emperor and His Attendants and the Empress and Her Attendants. A common theme we’ve seen in Justinian’s reign thus far has been the spread and fortification of the Christian faith, even blocking out other faiths to strengthen the church's hold over the Byzantine empire. It would not, then, be farfetched to say the greatest length of this pursuit was the creation of these mosaics. In these pieces, we see Justinian and Theodora surrounded by members of the clergy, soldiers, government officials, and several women. The figures presented are clustered together, overlapping each other at the same height, while holding several holy symbols. Each figure is roughly the same build, though some have specialized characteristics, such as Justinian, Bishop Maximianus, and Theodora. The golden background and magnificent outlay of the mosaics suggest a sort of holy or kingly setting.
There are many interesting parts to be dissected in these mosaics. Firstly, the order of the prominent figures, being Justinian and Maximianus, are not set in the center to be the prominent figures, but to show Justinian as the glue of this “divine kingship” (p. 257, Janson’s History of Art). From left to right, they join together the military, the government, and the church. Justinian is slightly overlapped by Maximianus, who is given name's sake by the text above him. As Maximianus was the most eminent person among the clergy, to have him on an equal footing with Justinian would convey to the Christians that Justinian is not on a higher plane than the church. Though Justinian is given holy symbolism, he does not want to overcast the church with his presence. Nonetheless, his attire exhibits holy symbols. First and foremost are his robes, a beautiful imperial purple, a highly expensive dye color used to represent the throne. In his hands, he holds a bowl that would contain the body of Christ, pointed to his left towards Christ, who stands in the middle of the mosaic. Around Justinian’s head is a halo, giving him an important impression of divinity.
What many find intriguing, is Theodora adorned in both imperial purple and a halo, suggesting she held the same power, respect, and significance as the emperor. This was peculiar, as her past would show her as an entertainer. In her hands, she holds the chalice for the blood towards Christ. Government representatives in these mosaics have some small articles of clothing with this imperial purple, suggesting them to be hands to the throne. Only Christ wears pure imperial purple, unlike Justinian and Theodora, who reveal white cloth beneath their robes. All this pomp only to add a sense of inclusion into the church. With the mosaics present, participants in the liturgy could feel the figures presence. Like Christ, the couple would never have to visit Ravenna, as the people could feel their presence in spirit. The mosaics impersonate the original texts of the bible, showing Justinian with twelve men and Theodora with three men, in reference to the twelve apostles and the three Magi. Justinian goes as far as to compare himself with Constantine, by placing Christ’s monogram on the shield of one of the soldiers.
As his statement of divine authority, one might assume that this portrayal of Justinian would be his magnum opus, however that title goes to Hagia Sophia. The Hagia Sophia is a church originally built under the reign of Constantine. The church was commissioned in Constantinople during 360 AD but was destroyed by rioters during the ‘Nika’ revolt in 532. Forty-five days after Justinian massacred the rioters, he set about reconstruction. With the architects Anthemius of Traller and Isidorus of Miletus, Justinian planned to combine aspects of the built basilica space with a new, circular space. What his architects produced was a square space topped by a huge dome. On either side of the square space, we find two half domes, creating that rectangular, longitudinal space of a basilica. What’s really unbelievable about this space is the size of the dome versus the support of the room. To the average eye, the dome is supported by four arches, and a thin, triangular sort of space between them, known as pendentives. This, however, is but a clever deception. The dome is actually supported by huge stone piers at the corners of the arches, as well as the other domes built into the space. Four of these piers are built at the corners of the original dome, and two more support the outer domes on either side of the original, which leans some weight on both sides. Furthermore, three smaller half domes to the east and two to the west support the half domes. Unfortunately, in 567 the church would be destroyed again, when it collapsed in on itself during an earthquake. Yet the church has undergone repairs over the years, making it one of the longest lasting symbols of the Christian faith and the Byzantine empire.