Type and Archetype in Late Antique Empress imagery in the Central Balkans

Abstract

Located at the crossroads of different civilizations, the territory of the Central Balkans displays rich and diverse cultural, social, and religious heritage. The geopolitical complexity of the region shaped every aspect of its material culture and is also evident in the versatile types of visual representations of imperial women. Usually based on the archetype of the divine heiress and intended for imperial propaganda, the most common female imperial image types include an empress as paired ruler, an independent sovereign, and a religious figure evocative of a maternal or virginal ideal. Rooted in historical stereotypes of noble women and based on the archetype of the divine one, empress image types influenced representations of ordinary women and, as such, they constructed the idea of a prototype which it was desirable to imitate.