Mosaic

A mosaic is a decoration made with small pieces of glass, stone or other material. Mosaics range from very simple decoration to highly complex works of art.

In the 4th century, some of the first Christian works of art were made as mosaics in churches. They are very durable; as long as the building stands they can last for many centuries without fading, while a painting will fade or erode.

Mosaics in Rome

The following is a list, in chronological order, of some of the more important mosaics in Roman churches

Church	Where	Motif	Date
Santa Constanza	Ambulatory, tambour, dome	Ornamental plants	c. 340–360
Santa Constanza	Two apsidal niches		Roman period, reworked later
Santa Pudenziana	Apse		402–417
Santa Sabina	Western wall of nave		422–440
Lateran Baptistery	Atrium		432–440
Lateran Baptistery	Chapel of St John the Evangelist		Late 6th century
Santa Maria Maggiore	Panel in nave		432–440
Santa Maria Maggiore	Triumphal arch		432–440
San Paolo fuori le Mura	Triumphal arch		440–461, reworked, restored after 1823
San Pietro in Vaticano	Façade		440–461, reworked later
Sant'Agata dei Goti	Apse		462–470
Sant'Andrea in Catabarbara	Apse		468–483
Santi Cosma e Damiano	Apse		526–530, reworked later
Santi Cosma e Damiano	Triumphal arch		687–679
San Teodoro	Apse		2nd half of 6th century
San Lorenzo fuori le Mura	Triumphal arch	Our Saviour between Sts Peter, Paul, Lawrence and Stephen	579–590, reworked later
Sant'Agnese fuori le Mura	Apse		625–638, reworked later
Santo Stefano Rotondo	Domed niche	Sts Primo and Feleciano	642–649
San Venanzio	Apse and apse wall	Our Saviour and saints	642–648
San Pietro in Vincoli		Icon of St Sebastian	678–681
Santi Nereo e Achilleo	Triumphal arch and apse		795–816
Santa Prassede			817–824
Santa Cecilia			817–824
Santa Maria in Domnica			817–824
San Clemente	Apse and triumphal arch		c. 1128
Santa Maria in Trastevere	Apse and triumphal arch		c. 1148, later restored
Santa Francesca Romana	12th or 13th century