Anchoring religious change through local place-making

Following the legalisation of Christianity in the beginning of the fourth century, the new religion gained a prominent public presence by the erection of monumental cult buildings. Under the patronage of the emperor, basilicas were constructed in the imperial capitals of Rome and Constantinople, as well as in the spiritual center of Christian faith, Jerusalem. Looking at the Roman empire at large, however, beyond the imperial centers, Christian religion also acquired a monumental public presence on a local level and did so in a variety of ways. This project investigates how local communities beyond the imperial centers integrated the new religion in the existing urban space imbued with pre-Christian monuments and meaning.

As Christian sacred rites differed substantially from those of polytheistic cult, the existing religious topographies and monuments had to be adapted to the new needs of Christian communities. One of the aspects to consider, as one of the most visible novelties that a new religion or cult brings into shared public space, is that of collective gatherings. While Christian gatherings had, of course, long taken place in private buildings and in smaller groups, the official occasions during which the faithful could meet now took place in central and large public buildings, visually prominent and recognisable to all inhabitants of a city or town.

This project examines how new religions were anchored in existing sacred landscapes through the adoption, adaption and creation of monumental structures and civic venues.