Art And Architecture 373
Betrayal by Judas
Arrest of Jesus
Jesus before Caiaphas
Denial of Peter
Repentance of Judas
Jesus before Pilate
Jesus on the Road to Calvary
Two Martyrs and Angel at Tomb
Road to Emmaus
Jesus appears to Thomas and Apostles
Missing in the sequence is the crucifixion, though depictions of that event are
rare in early Christian art and do not become common until centuries later.
Christ is again wearing the purple tunic in these scenes, but is now bearded.
The usual explanation for this difference is that the divinity of Christ and
his ability to perform miracles is the focus of the north wall panels, while his
human nature and mortality are on exhibit in the south wall panels, with the
beard somehow alluding to that.65
What is most interesting about the mosaics of the lowest band is the mix-
ing of the sacred with the secular. Classe is paired with Mary on the north, and
the Palatium, symbol of earthly rulership, is paired with the Heavenly ruler in
his throne on the south side. It is impossible to say what existed in the original
decoration in place of the two saintly processions, though it is often suggested
that perhaps processions of Theoderic and his court or possibly of Arian saints
may have been there.66
No part of the decoration has evoked more analysis than the Palatium
mosaic (Figure 14.14).67 It depicts a central pavilion with three arches on piers
supporting a triangular pediment, flanked by porticos on either side, above
which is a second storey with windows placed above each arch. Behind the
palace are represented other buildings, a church, and baptisteries with a city
wall and to the right is a city gate. There are two basic interpretations of what
is represented here: the first is that the façade is one side of an interior court-
yard, perhaps that of the north side of the excavated palace with the pediment
representing the entrance into the audience hall;68 the second is that it is the
65 Deliyannis, Ravenna, pp. 156–7.
66 Wood, “Theoderic’s Monuments”, p. 257; Deliyannis, Ravenna, pp. 156–7.
67 Carile, Vision, pp. 129–55, provides an excellent review of the various theories.
68 Rizzardi, Mosaico, p. 98.