East versus West in the Iconography of Roman Mosaics: Selected Examples of Shared Themes

Abstract

This article deals with a few different artistic themes represented by mosaicists in both the eastern and western halves of the Roman empire. The themes I discuss are the Triumph of Dionysos and the subject of the hunt, both of which were popular primarily for decorating the main reception room of private homes. Dionysos’s triumph evokes worldly happiness and prosperity, and the hunt, of either realistic or mythological type, reflects a popular aristocratic pastime as well as the manly quality of courage in the face of danger, or virtus. In general, the direction of artistic influence flowed from west to east, but in at least one instance, the trend in imagery moved in the opposite direction. It is shown how eastern and western craftsmen developed regional preferences in the ways they depicted the shared themes, partly shaped by local historical and economic circumstances.

Keywords

• dionysos
• triumph
• hunt
• virtus
• meleager