Abstract
Pleading for his beloved late mother Monica, St. Augustine calls out to Christ not to allow the lion and the dragon to stand in the way of her salvation (Confessions, IX. 13.) He is referring to verse 13 of Psalm 90, which has become a standard typological reference to Christ, triumphing over the enemies of faith. While the reference is typical for Augustine’s symbolic interpretation of the Scriptures, is it possible to understand Augustine’s allegory as a source for the iconography of a particular image showing Christ treading over demonic animals, which appears at about the same time in Christian art? Although art historians are reluctant to open the issue of theological and iconographical rapprochements, the intention here is to explore not only possible links between theological ideas and contemporary art, but also the origin of a rare and very peculiar early Christian theme. Particular attention will be paid to the evolution of imperial iconography during later Roman empire.
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