Daniel 3 in early Christian art

Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Then they brought these men before the king.

Daniel 3:13

 

"Origen... wrote in the mid-230's...'everywhere, the golden image is

set up against us'. The Christians' art and literature compared their martyrs' struggles with the three young heroes who had refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's image in the book of Daniel....The cult of the "golden image" was not the cause of persecution, but it was a frequent accompaniment."
Pagans & Christians p.476, Robin Lane Fox