SAN VITALE 

     The church of San Vitale can very well be seen as Ravenna’s most famous church. San Vitale is a church that was dedicated to Saint Vitalis, a martyr, and was consecrated in 547 in the city of Ravenna. The foundation inscription of San Vitale states that the order to build the church was given to Emperor Julianus Argentarius by Bishop Ecclesius, but was consecrated by Maximian. The foundation inscription also talks about the church being dedicated to Saint Vitalis and his sons Gervasius and Protasius. Vitalis was a Christian man who, once discovered to be a Christian, was killed. Vitalis himself was tortured and eventually killed in Ravenna and his martyrdom was authenticated by Saint Ambrose. His sons and other family members, though, were buried in Milan. His sons, Gervasius and Protasius, were also very famous. They are the patron Saints of Milan, who were killed because of their Martyr parents. 

     Ravenna was a very important city at the time, having taken over the high status of capital of the Western Roman Empire that had previously belonged to Milan. It also became the Christian center, which used to be in Classe. This made the church a very important place in the history of the Roman Empire.