Image Credits

Ancient Christianities

Every image on the course page, with its source, license, and the reason it was chosen. The artwork is public-domain and freely-licensed early-Christian and late-antique material from Wikimedia Commons: Ravenna mosaics, catacomb frescoes, the manuscripts that carried the texts, and a few later paintings. Creative Commons photographs are noted below.

Image Work & Attribution License Where it appears Why it’s included
The Good Shepherd (Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna) good-shepherd.jpg The Good Shepherd (Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, Ravenna) Unknown (Ravenna mosaicist) c. 425 CE Source ↗ Public domain Hero background The young Good Shepherd among his flock: an early, gentle image of Christ from imperial Ravenna.
Early mosaic depiction of Christ chi-rho.jpg Early mosaic depiction of Christ Photo: Nate Loper Photographed 2013 Source ↗ CC BY 2.0 Hero ornament · Highlights & Bonuses backdrop One of the earliest mosaic images of Christ, standing for the new faith taking visual form.
Colossal head of Constantine (Capitoline Museums) constantine-head.jpg Colossal head of Constantine (Capitoline Museums) Unknown (4th-century sculptor) 4th century CE Source ↗ Public domain Hero ornament The colossal Constantine: the emperor whose conversion turned a persecuted sect toward power.
Fresco from the Catacomb of Marcellinus and Peter, Rome catacomb-fresco.jpg Fresco from the Catacomb of Marcellinus and Peter, Rome Unknown (plate by Joseph Wilpert) Fresco 3rd century CE Source ↗ Public domain Hero ornament · “Prepare to Rethink” backdrop A painted scene from the Roman catacombs: how the earliest Christians pictured their faith underground.
Codex Sinaiticus (the Greek New Testament) codex-page.jpg Codex Sinaiticus (the Greek New Testament) Unknown (4th-century scribe) 4th century CE Source ↗ Public domain Origin section figure One of the oldest complete New Testaments: the text the early church was still assembling.
Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 209 (𝔓10), a leaf of Romans papyrus-fragment.jpg Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 209 (𝔓10), a leaf of Romans Unknown (ancient scribe) 4th century CE Source ↗ Public domain At-a-Glance backdrop · Schedule backdrop A scrap of Paul’s letter to the Romans on papyrus: the fragile physical basis of the tradition.
The Maison Carrée, Nîmes (Roman temple) roman-temple.jpg The Maison Carrée, Nîmes (Roman temple) Photo: Jorge Láscar Temple c. 4 to 7 CE (photographed 2014) Source ↗ CC BY 2.0 Theme I medallion (A World Full of Gods) A near-perfect Roman temple: the crowded world of pagan worship the first Christians lived in.
Apse mosaic, Santa Pudenziana, Rome (Christ enthroned among the apostles) christ-teaching.jpg Apse mosaic, Santa Pudenziana, Rome (Christ enthroned among the apostles) Photo: Rijksmuseum Mosaic c. 390 CE Source ↗ CC0 Theme II medallion (From Jesus to Christ) Christ enthroned as teacher among the apostles: the movement turning its founder into Lord.
Nag Hammadi Codex II (Gnostic Coptic manuscript) nag-hammadi.jpg Nag Hammadi Codex II (Gnostic Coptic manuscript) Unknown (Coptic scribe) 4th century CE Source ↗ Public domain Theme III medallion (Rival Christianities) A page from the Gnostic library at Nag Hammadi: the rival Christianities that orthodoxy buried.
The First Council of Nicaea (icon by Michael Damaskenos) nicaea-council.jpg The First Council of Nicaea (icon by Michael Damaskenos) Photo: Rigorius (icon by Michael Damaskenos) Icon 16th century (photographed 2023) Source ↗ CC BY-SA 4.0 Theme IV medallion (The Empire Converts) The council of 325, where the imperial church defined the nature of God by decree.
Saint Augustine in His Study (preparatory drawing) augustine.jpg Saint Augustine in His Study (preparatory drawing) Vittore Carpaccio c. 1502 Source ↗ Public domain Theme V medallion (Augustine & the Fall of Rome) Augustine at his desk: the theologian whose City of God reframed history as Rome fell.
Mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna ravenna-mosaic.jpg Mosaic in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna Photo: Roger Culos Mosaic 6th century (photographed 2015) Source ↗ CC BY-SA 3.0 Instructor backdrop · Highlights image card · FAQ backdrop The shimmering mosaics of San Vitale: the late-antique world at its imperial height.
Procession of saints, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna apollinare-procession.jpg Procession of saints, Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna Photo: Roger Culos Mosaic 6th century (photographed 2015) Source ↗ CC BY-SA 3.0 Stats backdrop A long procession of martyrs and saints in mosaic: the church triumphant in the new Christian empire.
The Christian Martyrs’ Last Prayer martyr-amphitheatre.jpg The Christian Martyrs’ Last Prayer Jean-Léon Gérôme 1863 to 1883 Source ↗ Public domain Highlights image card Gérôme’s martyrs awaiting the beasts in the arena: the persecution that forged Christian identity.

Public-domain works are reproduced freely. CC BY / CC BY-SA images are credited to their photographers as required; follow each Source link for the full license text.