• livus@kbin.social
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      7 months ago

      It’s great! Something about idealisations is fascinating in itself, the various things cultures focus on.

      Arcadius looks suspiciously like Elizabeth I.

      • PugJesus@kbin.socialOP
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        7 months ago

        Happened in coins too!

        Coin depicting Vespasian (Pagan, Principate era, ~70 AD)

        Coin depicting Caracalla (Pagan, Crisis of the Third Century, ~210 AD)

        Coin depicting Constantine I (Christian, Late Empire, ~320 AD)

        Coin depicting Julian the Apostate (Pagan, Late Empire, ~363 AD)

        Coin depicting Valentinian III (Christian, Late Empire, ~455 AD)

        My favorite is Constantine I. It’s idealized to the point where it’s almost anime-esque, where it’s clearly a representation of a human being, but just a representation - while earlier coin depictions made the Emperor look like someone you could reach out and touch - a real person, not just an abstract holder of ultimate power.

        • livus@kbin.social
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          7 months ago

          Oh that’s fascinating. Yeah I can actually imagine Constantine I in a Speed Racer style cartoon.

          Valentinian III looks like a Ty big eyes toy. Were these huge eyes meant to symbolise being wise, or were they an early example of surveillance theater?

          • PugJesus@kbin.socialOP
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            7 months ago

            Heavenly vision and wisdom, I think. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if “THE EMPEROR IS WATCHING YOU” was a motivation too.