The Greek Root of Byzantine Emperor: Constantine the Great, His Images and the Imperial Cult

Abstract

In the time of Constantine the Great, the emperor consciously controlled his image to strengthen his presence within the empire to consolidate the imperial power and his rule. In the process, various visual art forms were utilised, with the emperor represented in the form of sculptures, mosaics/paintings, and coin emblems. The use of emperor portraits throughout the secular and sacred spaces reflects Constantine's important role in politics and religion. Constantine showed the element of "worship" in his images. He completed a "self-deification" with subjective initiative, which had important significance in Constantine's time and the political life after his age. In this process, images and ruler cult are two elements that cannot be ignored. In the Byzantine-centered discussion, both features can be traced back to ancient Greece. This paper will show that Constantine used his own image, with images as a tool, along with other means to promote his worship and successfully spread the perception of the concentration of imperial power to the whole society. The use of images and the ruler cult, in turn, is a profound reflection of the Greek roots of the early Byzantine Empire.