Production to Destruction? Pagan and Mythological Statuary in Asia Minor

Abstract

Pagan and mythological statuary still functioned in the Late Roman city. Studies on this kind of imagery all too often focus on only one aspect or one type of action, frequently assuming that destruction was the preferred way of dealing with conflicted images. To understand the status of statues in an age when the Christian faith was steadily conquering the Roman world, an overview based on various kinds of evidence ranging from production and conscious preservation to violent destruction is necessary. This article brings this data together for the cities of Asia Minor to enhance the general picture.*