I last went to Ravenna in the Autumn of 2021, at which point I was more than a little stressed - so I am looking forward to returning in April this year, more relaxed, less worried about social distancing, and all the more keen to see the remarkable mosaics for which the city is famed: this seems like an ideal opportunity to revisit them online and in close-up via Zoom. 

Ravenna has a remarkable history - at one time the capital of the Western Roman Empire, later the seat of Kings (including Huns, Scirians and Ostrogoths), it would also become an Exarchate of Byzantium (a title that deserves a lecture of its own). There were also a string of important bishops and archbishops, both Orthodox and Arian (heretical, maybe, but important nevertheless) who, like the rulers, were all keen to make their mark in the form of buildings and their decorations.

This talk will unravel Ravenna's complex history by looking at its rich array of beautiful mosaics. We will also discover why there is nothing quite like the beauty you can see in this Italian town even if you were lucky enough to visit Istanbul.