Iconography of Zwiebelknopffibeln in the Art of the Late Roman Empire

In the Late Antiquity, the so-called cross-bow type fibulae (Germ. Zwiebelknopffibeln), finger-rings, and richly embroidered ceremonial garments (tunica and chlamys) equipped with elaborately decorated belts (baltei, cinguli), in addition to luxurious silver plates (missoria) and ivory consular diptychs constitute an indispensable element of the imperial system of gift-giving, so-called largitio, for the highest-ranking state officials. On account of their importance for the owner, they were very often depicted on pieces of the Late Roman imperial art. The majority of those depictions date from the times of the emperor Diocletian and end in the times of Justinian I (from AD 284 to 565). Cross-bow type fibulae are frequently represented on the Late Antique bas-reliefs, diptychs, mosaics, and missoria. There are a few different categories of the contexts of their occurrence. First of all, they are closely connected with the presentation of the emperor in power, portrayed alone (the Arch of Galerius, Thessaloniki), or together with his state officials, while watching chariot races in the Hippodrome and receiving the tribute of envoys representing conquered Barbarians tribes (the ‘Obelisk of Theodosius I’, Istanbul). Brooches also constitute a characteristic element of the garments of the highest-ranking officials accompanying the imperial couple in sacrificial processions with gifts for Christian churches (the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna). Additionally, they are shown in depictions of already or newly appointed highest-ranking dignitaries during public governance, but also of future pretenders to the highest ranks of Imperium Romanum military and civilian administration. Moreover, they appear as the main decorative element of garments of Christian Catholic church martyrs, e.g. Saint Onesiphorus (Thessaloniki), Saint Vitalis (Ravenna) and Saint Theodorus (Rome), who primarily were Roman citizens and soldiers, and died because of professing Christianity. Cross-bow fibulae constituted a characteristic measure of distinction amid the elite of the Late Roman Empire. They functioned also as indispensable attribute of the ceremonial garment of the emperor and state officials subjected to him. In the literature, throughout all of the iconographic material, only fibulae of types 3/4, 5, 5 or 6, 6, 6 or 7 and 7, according to P.M. Pröttel’s typology, are to be found.