Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Good Shepherd

Napoli is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy. Its metropolitan area has a population of more than 3 million. Founded by Greek settlers before 900 BC, Napoli was an important part of Magna Graecia and played a major role in the merging of Greek and Roman society. Following the decline of the Western Roman Empire Napoli was shortly ruled by the Ostrogoths. Byzantine troops captured the city in 536m but after the Byzantine exarchate Ravenna fell a Duchy of Naples was created. Over centuries the Duchy´s relations to Rome or Byzanz were hard-fought. In 836 Napoli could repel a siege of Lombard troops with the help of the Saracens, what did not prevent Muhammad I Abu 'l-Abbas in the 850s loot Napoli. In the 11th century, the Duchy hired Norman mercenaries and about 1140 it came under Norman control under Roger II, then King of Sicily. In 1228 Emperor Frederick II founded the first university in Europe here, making Napoli the intellectual centre of the kingdom. The conflict between the House of Hohenstaufen and the Papacy led in 1266 to Pope Innocent IV crowning the Angevin duke Charles I King of Sicily. Charles officially moved the capital from Palermo to Napoli. In 1282 after the "Sicilian Vespers", a successful rebellion on the island of Sicily against the rule of King Charles I, the Kingdom of Sicily was divided into two. The Angevin Kingdom of Naples included the southern part of the Italian peninsula, while the island of Sicily became the Aragonese Kingdom of Sicily. By the 17th century, Naples had become Europe's second-largest city – second only to Paris – with around 250000 inhabitants. The present Duomo di Napoli, commissioned by King Charles I of Anjou and completed in the early 14th century, stands on the foundations of two early Christian basilicas. One of these dates back to the first decades of the 4th century it was partially preserved. This is the Basilica di Santa Restituta, that got incorporated into the large complex of the Duomo. The foundation of the Basilica di Santa Restituta is attributed to Emperor Constantine in the 4th century and was much larger. Within the 8th century, it had five naves, an own facade with a portal for each of the naves. With the construction of the current cathedral, the basilica lost the external facade and was reduced in size. So it became a kind of large side chapel of the new cathedral. A door at the end of basilica´s right aisle opens to the Battistero di San Giovanni in Fonte, which is considered the oldest baptistery in the West. It was built between 364 and 410. The original decoration with mosaics from the 4th century is partially preserved. The woman on the mosaic may be Rebekah. Genesis 24 19-20 "After she had given him a drink, she said, "I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels." And seen below is the "Good Shepherd".

This building, located next to (younger) San Vitale, was commissioned by Galla Placidia. It was erected 425 - 430 as an oratory dedicated to Saint Laurentius (= Lawrence of Rome). It once was connected to Santa Croce, the church for the imperial palace, built in 417 but now in ruins. Santa Croce was as well commissioned by Galla Placidia. This is a late Roman building. Though the "The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia" may not have been built as a mausoleum, it now contains three sacrophagi. It is known for it´s mosaics. Young and beardless Christ, the "Good Shepherd", holds a golden cross. - Gallia Placida, after whom the building is named, was born ~390 in Constantinople. Her father was Theodosius I, the last emperor to rule over the eastern and the western halves of the Roman Empire. She was granddaughter of Valentinian I and the half-sister of emperors Arcadius and Honorius. When the Visigoths conquered the Italian peninsula, the "Nobilissima Puella" was captured by Alaric. After his death, she was taken as a hostage to Gaul by Alaric´s brother in law Athaulf in 412. After the Romans had attacked the Visigoths in Gaul, she was not returned to Rome, but married by Athaulf. In 415 Athaulf was stabbed by servants of his successor Sigeric, who then killed Athaulf´s six children (from an earlier marriage) and abused the young widow. Days later Sigeric was assassinated and was replaced by Wallia, a relative of Athaulf. He signed a treaty with Galla Placidia´s half-brother and Roman Emperor Honorius and so she could finally return to Rome. Honorius then forced her into marriage to Constantius III in 417, who was a sucessful military general and the power behind the throne. In 421 he even briefly became co-emperor of the Western Empire with Honorius. The couple had two children: Justa Grata Honoria, famous for her plea of love and help to Attila the Hun, and Valentinian III, born 419. After their father´s death and before the political turmoil started, Galla Placidia fled to Constantinople with her kids. When they returned to Italy in 425, Valentinian was installed as Western Emperor at the age of six. The young Emperor ruled under the regency of his mother Galla Placidia. Her regency ended, when Valentinian reached his eighteenth birthday in 437. Galla Placidia died in Rome in 450 - and was probably not buried in this mausoleum. Her son Valentinian III was assasinated five years later.