The BAS Scholars Series program offers a quarterly, stand-alone presentation by noted scholars of the Bible and archaeology.
On June 23, 2025, join Robyn Walsh for her compelling talk.
Jesus’ “Magic Stick” and Imperial Imagery in Early Christian Art
This talk proposes that depictions of Jesus with a “magic wand” (virgus) in early Christian art draw, in part, upon precedents found in certain funerary reliefs of Roman centurions holding a switch or vine-stock (vitis). We will review the history of art and scholarship on Jesus’ wand and then talk about what it means for Jesus to be placed in conversation with this kind of imperial symbolism.
Robyn Faith Walsh is an Associate Professor at the University of Miami (UM). She earned her Ph.D. at Brown University in Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean, with a focus on early Christianity, ancient Judaism, and Roman archaeology. [More Bio]
Have questions about the program? Send an email to Peter Megginson (Travel Study Director)
at [email protected] or call 800-221-4644, ext. 424 (Toll-free).