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Consular diptych

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259: 291: 375: 307: 224: 335: 112:, two or more flat pieces of (usually) wood, joined by clasps, lined with wax on which was written the letter of appointment. Later, the letter might be written on papyrus and presented within the covers. By the late fourth century, however, specially-commissioned diptychs began to be included among the gifts that appointees to high office distributed to celebrate and publicize the public games that were their principal duties. These diptychs were made of ivory, with relief carvings on the outside chosen by the donor, looking superficially similar to codicils but containing no writing and with no official status. 363: 347: 204: 323: 275: 31: 243: 90: 172:
in 476 was probably responsible for the disappearance of western production at the end of the 5th century, with all surviving consular diptychs from the 6th century originating from Constantinople. The most common motif on 6th century consular diptychs from Constantinople shows the consul, standing,
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Later, consular diptychs systematically carried either a more or less elaborate portrait of the consul on the most richly decorated examples or a dedicatory inscription to him within a geometric and vegetal scheme on the simpler examples. The simpler examples were probably produced as a series from
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of the late Roman Empire as well as for the study of the art of this period. Large numbers of them have survived to the present day, in many cases due to their re-use as book covers for medieval ecclesiastical manuscripts. Some were also used in churches as grand bindings for lists of bishops and
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games in 401 respectively. Almost all depict the games, and on three separate occasions Symmachus links the presentation of these diptychs with the completion of the games. Their end is marked by the consulship's disappearance under the reign of
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models prepared in advance, with the more sophisticated (and thus more expensive) diptychs reserved for the inner circle of the Roman aristocracy. The workshops responsible for their production were to be found in the Empire's two capitals at
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in 384 to limit expenditure on the games of Constantinople by reserving ivory diptychs (and golden gifts) to consuls alone. In the western empire, they became a usual part of the public displays given by great aristocrats.
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Cod. Theod. 15.9.1, p. 181 of The origin, context, and function of consular diptychs. Alan Cameron, in memory of Tally Kampen. Journal of Roman Studies 103 (2013) pp. 174–207.
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pp. 185–194. The origin, context, and function of consular diptychs. Alan Cameron, in memory of Tally Kampen. Journal of Roman Studies 103 (2013) pp. 174–207.
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to mark his entry to that post, and was distributed as a commemorative reward to those who had supported his candidature or might support him in the future.
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p. 182 of: The origin, context, and function of consular diptychs. Alan Cameron, in memory of Tally Kampen. Journal of Roman Studies 103 (2013) pp. 174–207.
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p. 182. The origin, context, and function of consular diptychs. Alan Cameron, in memory of Tally Kampen. Journal of Roman Studies 103 (2013) pp. 174–207.
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p178. The origin, context, and function of consular diptychs. Alan Cameron, in memory of Tally Kampen. Journal of Roman Studies 103 (2013) pp. 174–207.
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in this instance, to whom the diptych is dedicated in an inscription full of humility, with Probus calling himself the emperor's "
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intended as a de-luxe commemorative object. The diptychs were generally in ivory, wood or metal and decorated with rich
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Late Fourth Century Classicism in the Plastic Arts: Studies in the So-called Theodosian Renaissance
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From as early as the first century CE, some formal letters of appointment to office were known as
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Age of spirituality : late antique and early Christian art, third to seventh century
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In chronological order of production (some shown with a single surviving panel):
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The routine distribution of such diptychs in the East is marked by a decision by
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The oldest diptych that can properly be called a consular diptych, held in the
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presiding over the consular games which marked his entry to the consulship.
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in 518. He sits between figures representing Rome and Constantinople.
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By their very nature, consular diptychs are a valuable tool for the
501:. Odense University Classical Studies 18. Odense University Press. 125: 527:
Byzance, l'art byzantin dans les collections publiques françaises
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6th-century disestablishments in the Byzantine Empire
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Die Consulardiptychen : und verwandte Denkmäler
554:"Origin, Context and Function of Consular Diptychs" 617: 626:4th-century establishments in the Roman Empire 185:is a much rarer Imperial diptych, probably of 156:" or servant) rather than that of the consul. 368:Diptych of Theodore Philoxenus, consul in 525 27:Type of Roman diptych to commemorate a consul 328:Diptych of Anastasius, consul in 517 (Paris) 236:, produced for his consulate in 413 or 417. 70:. A consular diptych was commissioned by a 482:, 3 vols., Oxford University Press, 1991 ( 493: 384:, consul in 540 (last surviving example) 88: 29: 548: 14: 618: 490:), s. v. "Diptych", vol. 1, 636–637. 340:Diptych of Justinian, consul in 521 213:, consul in 406, depicting emperor 24: 585: 480:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 25: 662: 298:Areobindus Dagalaiphus Areobindus 36:Areobindus Dagalaiphus Areobindus 373: 361: 345: 333: 321: 305: 289: 273: 257: 241: 222: 202: 170:fall of the Western Roman Empire 34:One of the consular diptychs of 472: 448:Medieval Italy, an Encyclopedia 441: 432: 423: 414: 405: 396: 13: 1: 600:, nos. 45–51 & 88, 1979, 389: 478:Alexander Kazhdan (editor), 7: 10: 667: 602:Metropolitan Museum of Art 217:(oldest surviving example) 192: 122:Quintus Aurelius Symmachus 84: 79: 42:in 506, showing him in an 570:10.1017/S0075435813000099 110:"codicilli", little books 558:Journal of Roman Studies 316:, consul in 517 (London) 282:Rufius Achilius Sividius 211:Anicius Petronius Probus 516:Danièle Gaborit-Chopin 105: 51: 636:Late Roman Empire art 181:similar records. The 92: 33: 97:, who was consul of 93:Consular diptych of 646:Byzantine sculpture 354:Theodore Philoxenus 641:Ivory works of art 142:cathedral treasury 106: 52: 651:Consular diptychs 464:978-0-415-93930-0 128:games in 393 and 73:consul ordinarius 18:Consular diptychs 16:(Redirected from 658: 581: 545: 542:, Berlin, 1929. 536:Richard Delbrück 532: 524: 512: 495:Kiilerich, Bente 466: 445: 439: 436: 430: 427: 421: 418: 412: 409: 403: 400: 377: 365: 349: 337: 325: 309: 293: 277: 266:Manlius Boethius 261: 245: 226: 206: 68:relief sculpture 60:consular diptych 21: 666: 665: 661: 660: 659: 657: 656: 655: 616: 615: 592:Weitzmann, Kurt 588: 586:Further reading 543: 530: 518: 509: 475: 470: 469: 446: 442: 437: 433: 428: 424: 419: 415: 410: 406: 401: 397: 392: 385: 378: 369: 366: 357: 356:, consul in 525 350: 341: 338: 329: 326: 317: 310: 301: 300:, consul in 506 294: 285: 284:, consul in 488 278: 269: 268:, consul in 487 262: 253: 252:, consul in 428 246: 237: 234:Constantius III 227: 218: 207: 195: 183:Barberini Ivory 87: 82: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 664: 654: 653: 648: 643: 638: 633: 628: 614: 613: 587: 584: 583: 582: 546: 533: 513: 507: 491: 474: 471: 468: 467: 440: 431: 422: 413: 404: 394: 393: 391: 388: 387: 386: 379: 372: 370: 367: 360: 358: 351: 344: 342: 339: 332: 330: 327: 320: 318: 311: 304: 302: 295: 288: 286: 279: 272: 270: 263: 256: 254: 247: 240: 238: 228: 221: 219: 208: 201: 194: 191: 166:Constantinople 99:Constantinople 86: 83: 81: 78: 62:was a type of 56:Late Antiquity 44:imago clipeata 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 663: 652: 649: 647: 644: 642: 639: 637: 634: 632: 629: 627: 624: 623: 621: 611: 610:9780870991790 607: 603: 599: 598: 593: 590: 589: 579: 575: 571: 567: 563: 559: 555: 551: 550:Cameron, Alan 547: 541: 537: 534: 528: 522: 517: 514: 510: 508:87-7492-929-1 504: 500: 496: 492: 489: 485: 481: 477: 476: 465: 461: 457: 456:0-415-93930-5 453: 449: 444: 435: 426: 417: 408: 399: 395: 383: 376: 371: 364: 359: 355: 348: 343: 336: 331: 324: 319: 315: 308: 303: 299: 292: 287: 283: 276: 271: 267: 260: 255: 251: 244: 239: 235: 231: 225: 220: 216: 212: 205: 200: 199: 198: 190: 188: 184: 179: 178:prosopography 174: 171: 167: 163: 157: 155: 151: 147: 143: 138: 136: 131: 127: 123: 118: 113: 111: 104: 100: 96: 91: 77: 75: 74: 69: 65: 61: 57: 49: 45: 41: 37: 32: 19: 604:, New York, 595: 561: 557: 539: 526: 498: 479: 473:Bibliography 447: 443: 434: 425: 416: 407: 398: 196: 175: 158: 139: 117:Theodosius I 114: 107: 72: 59: 53: 564:: 174–207. 544:(in German) 531:(in French) 519: [ 380:Diptych of 352:Diptych of 312:Diptych of 296:Diptych of 280:Diptych of 264:Diptych of 248:Diptych of 209:Diptych of 126:quaestorian 620:Categories 488:0195046528 390:References 314:Anastasius 168:, but the 130:praetorian 578:162284518 187:Justinian 135:Justinian 552:(2013). 497:(1993). 215:Honorius 150:Honorius 137:in 541. 594:, ed., 230:Diptych 193:Gallery 154:famulus 85:Origins 80:History 64:diptych 608:  576:  505:  486:  462:  454:  382:Justin 103:Louvre 95:Magnus 48:Louvre 40:consul 574:S2CID 523:] 250:Felix 146:Aosta 606:ISBN 503:ISBN 484:ISBN 460:ISBN 452:ISBN 164:and 162:Rome 58:, a 566:doi 562:103 232:of 144:at 54:In 622:: 572:. 560:. 556:. 538:, 521:fr 458:, 189:. 38:, 580:. 568:: 511:. 50:) 46:( 20:)

Index

Consular diptychs

Areobindus Dagalaiphus Areobindus
consul
imago clipeata
Louvre
Late Antiquity
diptych
relief sculpture
consul ordinarius

Magnus
Constantinople
Louvre
"codicilli", little books
Theodosius I
Quintus Aurelius Symmachus
quaestorian
praetorian
Justinian
cathedral treasury
Aosta
Honorius
famulus
Rome
Constantinople
fall of the Western Roman Empire
prosopography
Barberini Ivory
Justinian

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