Ravenna : Italy
Theodoric’s Arian bishops had their seat in the cathedral close to the palace. It was rededicated in the 9th century as Sant’ Apollinare Nuovo when relics of Saint Apollinaris were transferred there. Its apse and atrium underwent modernization at various times, but the mosaics of the lateral walls, twenty-four columns, and an ambo are preserved. The mosaics of the right side represent a scheme of twenty-six saints going to receive their crowns, towards a group representing Christ, beardless, enthroned amid four angels; which lattter group is the best. This picture contains a schematic representation of the palace of Theodoric. The Catholics had to revise some of the more Arian of the mosaics, as is shown by some hands that remain near a column. On the left are the virgins moving from the city of Classis towards the group of the Madonna and Child surrounded by four angels; on the two sides are the lines of windows, between which are mosaics representing sixteen saints (Doctors of the Church?) that have much more individuality than the figures already mentioned. On the third story are represented twenty-six scenes of the life and passion of Christ, in which latter, however, the crucifixion is lacking; between each two scenes there is the image of a saint. In another part of the church there is a rough mosaic containing the portrait of the Emperor Justinian.
Exarchate of Ravenna
Following the conquests of Belisarius for the Emperor Justinian I in the sixth century, Ravenna became the seat of the Byzantine governor of Italy, the Exarch, and was known as the Exarchate of Ravenna.
Catholic and modern history
After the Byzantine withdrawal Ravenna was ruled by legates of the Pope as one of the Papal States. It became part of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
