Jewish and Early Christian Art

Jews and Christians counted themselves among the many types of people that inhabited the Roman empire. As Romans they took part in many aspects of Roman culture. The main difference between Jews and Christians on one hand and Romans on the other, was their belief in one God. Romans like many other ancient cultures believed in many gods and were polytheistic. Jews and Christians, while part of the empire, had their own religious practices and eventually developed artworks with distinctly Jewish or Christian subject matter. This module explores the function and meaning of the imagery and architecture created by Jews and Christians.