Constantine and Christendom: The Orations to the Saints. The Greek and Latin Accounts of the Discovery of the Cross. The Edict of Constantine to Pope Silvester

Description

Translated with notes and introduction by Mark Edwards. This volume makes available three works attributed to Constantine - two of which were certainly not written by him - which are important sources for historians of the papacy, Christianity and Constantine himself. "The Oration to the Saints" is an intellectual defence of Christianity, which puts the case for monotheism, extols the incarnation and voluntary abasement of the Son of God, and finally declares Constantine's personal adherence to the Saviour. The legend of the discovery of the True Cross by the empress Helena, mother of Constantine, following her conversion to Christianity is presented in translations of two variant accounts. The third text, the "Edict of Constantine", presents Constantine's supposed edict to Pope Silvester transferring lands to the papacy. An introduction considers the authorship, motivation and historical context for each of the works, and extensive annotation elucidates textual difficulties and allusions. Acknowledgements viii Introduction ix Constantine: The Oration to the Saints 1 The Coming of the Holy Cross (Latin version) 63 Story of the Discovery of the Honourable and Life-giving Cross (Greek version) 81 The Edict of Constantine to Pope Silvester 92 Bibliography 117 Maps The Mediterranean World in the Age of Constantine 134 Byzantine Jerusalem 135 Mediaeval Rome 136 Index to the Oration to the Saints 137 Index to texts on the Discovery of the Cross 140 Index to the Edict of Constantine 142