The Syrian influence over the Late Antique mosaics in Philippopolis, Thrace

Abstract

The paper deals with mosaic pavements from Philippopolis, the capital of the Late antique province of Thrace, which are supposed to be made after Syrian influence or by masters from that region. Three main types of examples are studied: 1). variations of standard geometric schemes which are repeated; 2). variations of motifs which are close parallels and 3). repetition of similar figural images. The examples come either from Early Christian buildings or richly decorated private dwellings. Despite the similarities between the mosaics of Philippopolis and those in Syria, some discrepancies also appear. It seems that the ‘Syrian’ influence was transmitted indirectly via the metropolitan masters, i. e. those from Constantinople, by following the decoration of a building in the provincial capital or home city or by immigrants and realized by the local masters. The metropolitan influence in Thrace, however, was enormous and spread in two ways: by simply copying the decoration of what was in the metropolis by the local patrons and the elite in Thrace and second one - through special imperial policy. And this is clearly visible in the second half of 4th c. at the earliest, but mostly after the decision of Theodosius I to settle in Constantinople when all of a sudden, Thrace from a remote province became part of the hinterland of the metropolis.