DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0122
90
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
Before Christianity had become the established religion of the Romans, the
architecture of that people was debased considerably from the pure specimens of
Grecian art, and many innovations had been introduced, none of which could be
regarded as improvements. The Rev. Mr. Gunn, referring to the period between
the reigns of Caracalla and Diocletian, says, " Buildings, as to their general plan,
then indeed exhibited only remains of the great and magnificent ideas which per-
vaded those of a previous date. They were gigantic as to proportions, yet in detail
we discover, amidst cost and ornament, poverty of design and meanness of
execution."20
On the first preaching of Christianity, when the converts began to be numerous,
they attracted the attention of the Roman government, and, becoming subjected to
persecution, those assemblies for worship, which had previously been held in private
houses, were necessarily transferred to places of greater secrecy and security. Then
it was, that the early Christians met together in fields, deserts, caves, vaults, ships,
and other retired places.21
Several passages in the New Testament indicate, that religious assemblies were
often, perhaps generally, held in the upper apartments of houses. Such rooms,
therefore, were probably fitted up and appropriated to that purpose. Some of them
(if we believe the testimony of Lucian), were highly decorated ; for he describes the
Christians as " meeting in an upper room, adorned and gilt with gold."24
20 " An Inquiry, &c. into Gothic Architecture," p. 3.
11 Vide " Dionysius Alexand. apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles." lib. vii. cap. 22.
" Sir G. Wheler, in his " Account of the Churches of the Primitive Christians" (1689), p. 9, gives
the above passage as a quotation from Lucian, without any further reference. He doubtless had in view
the description of a Christian assembly by a pretended Catechumen in the dialogue intituled Philopatris,
which, if not the work of Lucian, as some have supposed, was written by an earlier author. The sentence
quoted by Sir G. Wheler is thus translated by Benedictus :—" Multis superatis scalis, in domum aurato
fastigio insignem ascendimus, qualem Homerus Menelai fingit esse." Luciani " Opera," cura Gravii.
Amster. 1687, 8vo. torn. ii. p. 776. The whole account of the introduction to the Christian congregation
is curious, and, if considered as fictitious, it at least shews what reports prevailed among the heathens
relative to the places of assembly used by the first Christians.
But this splendor could not be common in the rooms appropriated for Christian worship, since Minutius
Felix, in his Dialogue between a Christian and a Heathen, represents his heathen advocate, Csecilius, as
demanding, " Why the Christians have no altars, no temples, no noted images ? ". To which the Christian
replies, " Do you imagine we hide the objects of worship because we have no idols nor altars ? Wherefore
feign an image of God, since, if you conclude correctly, man himself is an image of God? What temple
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
Before Christianity had become the established religion of the Romans, the
architecture of that people was debased considerably from the pure specimens of
Grecian art, and many innovations had been introduced, none of which could be
regarded as improvements. The Rev. Mr. Gunn, referring to the period between
the reigns of Caracalla and Diocletian, says, " Buildings, as to their general plan,
then indeed exhibited only remains of the great and magnificent ideas which per-
vaded those of a previous date. They were gigantic as to proportions, yet in detail
we discover, amidst cost and ornament, poverty of design and meanness of
execution."20
On the first preaching of Christianity, when the converts began to be numerous,
they attracted the attention of the Roman government, and, becoming subjected to
persecution, those assemblies for worship, which had previously been held in private
houses, were necessarily transferred to places of greater secrecy and security. Then
it was, that the early Christians met together in fields, deserts, caves, vaults, ships,
and other retired places.21
Several passages in the New Testament indicate, that religious assemblies were
often, perhaps generally, held in the upper apartments of houses. Such rooms,
therefore, were probably fitted up and appropriated to that purpose. Some of them
(if we believe the testimony of Lucian), were highly decorated ; for he describes the
Christians as " meeting in an upper room, adorned and gilt with gold."24
20 " An Inquiry, &c. into Gothic Architecture," p. 3.
11 Vide " Dionysius Alexand. apud Euseb. Hist. Eccles." lib. vii. cap. 22.
" Sir G. Wheler, in his " Account of the Churches of the Primitive Christians" (1689), p. 9, gives
the above passage as a quotation from Lucian, without any further reference. He doubtless had in view
the description of a Christian assembly by a pretended Catechumen in the dialogue intituled Philopatris,
which, if not the work of Lucian, as some have supposed, was written by an earlier author. The sentence
quoted by Sir G. Wheler is thus translated by Benedictus :—" Multis superatis scalis, in domum aurato
fastigio insignem ascendimus, qualem Homerus Menelai fingit esse." Luciani " Opera," cura Gravii.
Amster. 1687, 8vo. torn. ii. p. 776. The whole account of the introduction to the Christian congregation
is curious, and, if considered as fictitious, it at least shews what reports prevailed among the heathens
relative to the places of assembly used by the first Christians.
But this splendor could not be common in the rooms appropriated for Christian worship, since Minutius
Felix, in his Dialogue between a Christian and a Heathen, represents his heathen advocate, Csecilius, as
demanding, " Why the Christians have no altars, no temples, no noted images ? ". To which the Christian
replies, " Do you imagine we hide the objects of worship because we have no idols nor altars ? Wherefore
feign an image of God, since, if you conclude correctly, man himself is an image of God? What temple