"...and in the twentieth year of his age the emperor of the West, anxious only for his personal safety, retired to the perpetual confinement of the walls and morasses of Ravenna. The example of Honorius was imitated by his feeble successors, the Gothic kings, and afterwards the Exarchs, who occupied the throne and palace of the emperors; and till the middle of the eighth century Ravenna was considered as the seat of government and the capital of Italy."
Although Ravenna's port had been founded by Augustus as one of the headquarters for the Empire's Mediterranean fleet, it was Honorius' shifting of the capital to Ravenna that brought the city its lasting fame, which can be summed up in one word: mosaics. Eight buildings in Ravenna have been placed on UNESCO's World Heritage list because of their mosaics.
Of particular interest to us as we read Gibbon is the Mausoleum of Gallia Placidia, a woman whose life the word 'eventful' simply doesn't do justice. Contemporary with her is the Neonian Baptistry, a room used for baptisms which was preserved from the Basilica when it was demolished in the 18th century.
The other buildings on UNESCO's list date from the 6th century, beyond the point where will be saying farewell to Gibbon. They are nevertheless visually stunning and just as much worth a look as those connected with our readings. The Ravenna entries from this mosaic blog will whet your appetite.
The city tourism board of Ravenna has a 20-minute streamed video worth watching for the pictures even if your Italian is a bit ropy or non-existent. They have also produced a page of interactive images that let you take a virtual tour of the buildings.
