Remembering Constantine at the Milvian Bridge / Raymond Van Dam.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Van Dam, Raymond, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Constantine I, Emperor of Rome, -337.

Constantine.

Maxentius, Marcus Aurelius Valerius, Emperor of Rome, -312.

Maxentius, Marcus Aurelius Valerius.

Saxa Rubra, Battle of, Italy, 312.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiii, 296 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Constantine's victory in 312 at the battle of the Milvian Bridge established his rule as the first Christian emperor. This book examines the creation and dissemination of the legends about that battle and its significance. Christian histories, panegyrics and an honorific arch at Rome soon commemorated his victory, and the emperor himself contributed to the myth by describing his vision of a cross in the sky before the battle. Through meticulous research into the late Roman narratives and the medieval and Byzantine legends, this book moves beyond a strictly religious perspective by emphasizing the conflicts about the periphery of the Roman empire, the nature of emperorship and the role of Rome as a capital city. Throughout late antiquity and the medieval period, memories of Constantine's victory served as a powerful paradigm for understanding rulership in a Christian society.

Contents:

Foreword: visions of Constantine

The afterlife of Constantine

Ecclesiastical histories

Constantine's memories

Eusebius' commentary

Shaping memories in the west

Rome after the battle

Backward and forward

Remembering Maxentius

Back word: the bridge.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

1-139-06419-3

1-107-22242-7

1-283-11291-4

9786613112910

1-139-07671-X

1-139-08353-8

1-139-08126-8

1-139-07899-2

0-511-97304-7

1-139-07099-1

OCLC:

726734820