Old Saint Peter's served as a prime setting for the celebration and promotion of papal authority. This was certainly true during the Iconoclastic Controversy from the early eighth to the mid-ninth century. In the past, the author tended to see the architectural reference to Old Saint Peter's and the wealth of figural imagery as two separate elements; however, now the author is inclined to emphasize how closely connected they are, or were, in the minds of the pope and his associates, given the role of Saint Peter's in the battle against iconoclasm. This helps to explain why such a blatantly Roman structure was deemed appropriate for a group of Greek monks, many of whom were presumably refugees from iconoclastic persecution and all of whom were supporters of religious images. The use of Saint Peter's as a model was completely in keeping with the emphasis on papal authority and tradition.