The Sons of Constantine, AD 337-361

This edited collection focuses on the Roman empire during the period from AD 337 to 361. During this period the empire was ruled by three brothers: Constantine II (337-340), Constans I (337-350) and Constantius II (337-361). These emperors tend to be cast into shadow by their famous father Constantine, the first Christian Roman emperor (306-337), and their famous cousin Julian, the last pagan Roman emperor (361-363). The traditional concentration on the historically renowned figures of Constantine and Julian is understandable but comes at a significant price: the neglect of the period between the death of Constantine and the reign of Julian and of the rulers who governed the empire in this period. The reigns of the sons of Constantine, especially that of the longest-lived Constantius II, mark a moment of great historical significance. As the heirs of Constantine they became the guardians of his legacy, and they oversaw the nature of the world in which Julian was to grow up. The thirteen contributors to this volume assess their influence on imperial, administrative, cultural, and religious facets of the empire in the fourth century.

Focuses on the Roman empire during the period from AD 337 to 361 Examines the epistolary relations between the Sons of Constantine and the Christian Church Assesses their influence on imperial, administrative, cultural, and religious facets of the empire in the fourth century

Auteur
Nicholas J. Baker-Brian is Reader in Ancient Religions in Ancient Religions at Cardiff University, UK.
Shaun Tougher is Professor of Late Roman and Byzantine History at Cardiff University, UK. He is one of the series editors of New Approaches to Byzantine History and Culture, and has a handbook forthcoming with us on Byzantium and Gender.

Résumé
"Baker-Brian and Tougher's volume is welcome. ... the inclusion of a number of understudied aspects of this rich and interesting period makes a valuable contribution to the state of scholarship. In particular, the volume provides a springboard for future studies of the overlooked figures of Constantine II and Constans. The collection is a service to Constantinian studies, and opens many doors and avenues for the future study of the undervalued sons of Constantine." (Nicola Ernst, The Classical Review, Vol. 72 (1), 2022)

Contenu

1. Introduction: In the Shadows of Constantine and Julian: The Sons of Constantine, AD 337-361- Nicholas J. Baker-Brian and Shaun Tougher.- Part I. Creating a Dynasty.- 2. From the Tetrarchy to the Constantinian Dynasty: A Narrative Introduction- John Vanderspoel.- 3. Constantine II and his Brothers: The Civil War of AD 340- William Lewis.- Part II. Representations of Authority.- 4. Innovation and Orthodoxy in the Portraiture of Constantine and his Sons- Eric Varner.- 5. The Ideology of Imperial Unity in Themistius (Or. 1) and Libanius (Or. 59)- Christine Greenlee.- 6. The Memory of Mursa: Usurpation, Civil War, and Contested Legitimacy under the Sons of Constantine- Mark Humphries.- 7. Eusebia and Eusebius: The Roles and Significance of Constantinian Imperial Women and Court Eunuchs- Shaun Tougher.- Part III. Administration and Governance.- 8. The Dynamics of Imperial Government: Collegiality andRegionalism- Caillan Davenport.- 9. Governing the Empire: The Effects of the Diocletianic and Constantinian Provincial Reforms under the Sons of Constantine- Danielle Slootjes.- 10. Imperial Cities under the Sons of Constantine- Meaghan McEvoy.- 11. A Father's Legacy: Foreign Affairs under the Sons of Constantine- Michael Kulikowski.- 12. Economy and Society in the Age of the Sons of Constantine- Peter Sarris.- Part IV. Religion and Culture.- 13. I have taken pains to get copies of them: Epistolary Relations between the Sons of Constantine and the Christian Church- Nicholas J. Baker-Brian.- 14. Pagans and Paganism in the Age of the Sons of Constantine- Jan Stenger.