Breaking Rome’s Social Ladder: Christianity And The Dignity Of Labor

Christianity did not promote elitism for those who held political power or social status, but reached all levels of society, from the Roman political chambers to individual slaves. Roman society was, in some ways, anti-tradesmen, with particular biases shaping views of different craftspeople, especially those making mosaics. What was the mosaic influence in the first century?

The words of Jane Sancinito give ponder to the 1st-century situation, ““Furthermore, the bias against artisans and retailers was far older and more established than that against Christians. Traces of anti-commercial prejudice appear as early as Homer (Homer, Odyssey 8.158–164) and the Greek tradition included the belief that artisanal and service labour was not only dirty and physically taxing, but also intersectionally problematic in itself, since working for others was a form of voluntary slavery the violated the “natural” divide between free people and the enslaved (Aristotle, Politics 1.14 (1260a/b)). Critics were calling upon this ancient prejudice to inform and reinforce their attacks on Christianity, and it was significantly easier for apologists to distance Christians from this bias than it was to change this near-universal attitude.”^[1]https://jibs.hcommons.org/2024/09/09/requiring-apologia-merchants-and-artisans-in-acts-of-the-apostles/

Jesus often used illustrations about trades and labor in his parables to show spiritual principles that would indirectly honor their professions. He chose fishermen, a tax collector, and even a zealot to follow him. He went beyond social biases to include the least expected.

Early pro-artisan bent in the spread of the gospel

The Gospel’s path, much like the mosaic one, traveled the same routes to spread ideas. Christianity’s acceptance and promotion of artisans became evident in God’s calling of Disciples as fishermen (Matt. 4:19; Mark 1:17) and in the Messiah growing up in a carpenter’s family (Matt. 13:53-55).

In the world of conversion, Peter stayed with Simon the tanner (Acts 9:43 and 10:5-6), and Tabitha also called Dorcas (Acts 9:36-43) and Lydia a maker of purple (Acts 16:14-15) hosted believers. Others, like Paul, were tent makers working with leather (Acts 18:2-3). Never is their trade or profession minimized. This early entry into tradespeople brought the gospel to the common laborer, which eventually, most likely, included mosaicists who laid the mosaic stones. These artists formed patterns and symbols within their artwork based on choice, inspiration, and known patterns in the Roman Empire.

Places of Mosaic Influence

Christianity didn’t spread randomly; the gospel moved along the same urban, commercial, and intellectual networks that mosaic artisans used. So these places weren’t just artistic hubs; they were also ideal early adopters of Christian ideas.

Interestingly, in Ephesus, the silversmiths rose up against the gospel because it affected their livelihoods from idolatry-related images. The protest was more so to protect the leader’s goddess rather than a condemnation of the gospel among the world of artists and craftspeople. Ephesus was more than just a wealthy Roman city; it was a major artistic hub that helped shape how artisans across western Asia Minor approached mosaic design.

The Terrace Houses, much like Pompeii, feature geometric, cross-like patterns and occasional floral and figural scenes. The artisans’ work of the later centuries, such as the 3rd and 4th centuries, shows their ability for precision and shading. These craftsmen moved from region to region in search of work, and their influence spread throughout the Roman Empire.

Other places of early influence, like Antioch, Alexandria, Rome and Greece, all received the gospel early on, even during the 1st century before the burial of Pompeii. In these cities, the gospel came in the 40s to 60s AD, enabling the first generation to make changes in their lives, which would stimulate creativity.

The mosaic patterns from these influential regions reveal the mosaic network through which patterns and influence were widely circulated. When we look at Pompeii, we can see early influences of black-and-white patterns, cross-like designs, and interlocking circles, such as guilloche bands (intertwined figure eights).

These cities often blended culture and absorbed Greek, Roman, and newly found Christian ideas. Mosaicists, especially, had the opportunity and flexibility to use visual language to adapt, create, and emerge within their new religious context.

Walking tour of Pompeii

Walking on Mosaics by Faith

Walking by faith and living in the way provided a very pro-artisan manner to incorporate their Christian faith into their daily work with pattern stones of mosaics. These artists incorporated mosaic influence in their work.

Cultural centers and influential places became channels for spreading the gospel, allowing the new Christian faith to blend subtly into absorbent art forms such as mosaics. These artistic patterns quickly became standardized and spread throughout the region, especially in homes that adopted Christianity. In many of these settings, the blending of Christian themes into existing art subtly influenced the later religious designs that dominated 5th- and 6th-century churches and other religious buildings.

The transmission centers were also known locations of gospel transmission, so that when the gospel spread, influential ideas of the gospel were incorporated into mosaic patterns. Do we have proof of this? Only by accumulating the historical ideas we know can we assume that the early cross-like patterns preserved in Pompeii originated from this transmission process.

What we do not know is when mosaic stone was placed in the homes; any patterns placed in the flooring after the earthquake of 62 AD were installed during this period, before the eruption. During these 17 years, many homes were renovated with the latest designs. In light of these two major catastrophes, the likelihood of these emerging cross-like designs becoming in use increases. The Pompeii museum alludes to this idea, since the cross-design would be a newer form.

Mosaic Transmission along with the Gospel

The spread of the Gospel in the 1st century closely followed the same urban and trade networks that transmitted mosaic styles across the Mediterranean. Major artistic hubs like Alexandria, Antioch, and Pergamon all received Christianity by the mid–1st century AD, carried through interconnected routes of merchants, diaspora communities, and itinerant craftsmen. Many of these were the same channels that spread artistic techniques and pattern systems.

Even where evidence is less certain, such as at Delos and Pompeii, their participation in these networks makes early contact plausible. In Rome, the message quickly took hold along these same pathways. The result is a clear pattern: Christianity did not move independently, but traveled along the established infrastructure of cultural and artistic exchange, allowing existing mosaic traditions to later absorb and reinterpret new symbolic meaning.

Many images and displays in Pompeii promoted beliefs or superstitions. How much more a cross for belief in Christ?

Pompeii’s Preserved Mosaics

If a Christian mosaic influence is present, it was likely very early on limited by public opinion. Pompeii, before becoming a source of patterns, but the 1st-century designs are preserved, uninfluenced by later patterns. Pompeii preserves a possible earliest Christian mosaic tradition, frozen in time for investigation. Later centuries offer a clear mosaic cross-based design found in many religious buildings, but pondering these possibilities motivates us to investigate further.

In visiting and studying Pompeii, along with the science of observation and comparison, I have seen a possible pattern in some early Christian-induced mosaics within homes. Obviously, no church buildings started there before the volcanic eruption, but what about possible household influences? In my next few write-ups, we will see these patterns.