Ravenna

Ravenna, located on the southern branch of the Po River in northeast Italy, stands as a pivotal site for understanding Late Antique art and architecture. This city served as the capital of the Western Roman Empire from 402 to 476 AD and remained a significant political center under Germanic, Ostrogothic, Byzantine, and Lombard rule until 751 AD. Its rich collection of well-preserved churches, mosaics, and sarcophagi provides invaluable evidence for artistic production during this historically underrepresented period, which was marked by iconoclastic destructions in the Byzantine East. These monuments offer a unique window into the transition between early Christian and medieval art, bridging gaps left by the loss of many contemporary works.

Yasin, A. M. (2012). Ravenna. The Encyclopedia of Ancient History. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah16116