Constantinian Age And Imperial Ideology Lm A 2023/2024

Constantinian Age and the Imperial ideology: from the First to the Second Rome

The aim of the course is to offer an overview on the world of Late Antiquity. 

It comprises an introductory part on the third century and the persecutions of the Christians, followed by two main sections: the first focussing on the raise of Christianity, the early cult of the saints, and the Roman martyrs in particular; the second one concerning the Constantinian policy of tolerance towards the Christians, the Christianisation of Rome, the growing importance of the Second Rome (Constantinople), and the imperial ideology on which the Byzantine theocracy is based. 

Other sections will deal with the 'survival' of paganism, the development of the hagiographical genre in the Fourth and Fifth century (monasticism, cross dressing saints, holy fools and stylite saints) and daily life in Late antiquity. 

We shall devote particular attention to the sources, historical, literary and religious, by reading selected passages of ancient authors in translation.

All the passages that we shall read and comment on during the classes shall be uploaded on the website and are part of the exam programme.

In order to take the oral exam, it is required to submit a written essay of 2500/3000 words. 

Bibiliography

O. Nicholson, "Constantine's Vision of the Cross", Vigiliae Christianae 54, n. 3, (2000) pp. 309-323

B.D. Shaw, "The Passion of Perpetua", Past and Present, 139 (May 1993), pp. 3-45.

P. Brown, The World of Late Antiquity, London 1971 (reprinted 2013)

A Cameron and S. G. Hall, Eusebius. The Life of Constantine, Oxford 1999, Introduction. pp. 1-53.

S. Runciman, The Byzantine Theocracy, Cambridge 1977, only Chapter I.

P. Brown "The raise and the Function of the Holy man in late Antiquity", Journal of Roman Studies (61) 1971, pp. 80-101 (not compulsory)

K. Sessa, Daily Life in Late Antiquity, Cambridge 2018 (not compulsory)

Suggestions for possible essays titles: 1) Choose the legend of a Roman martyr (or any other early Greek or Latin hagiographical text of your choice), read it and comment on it. 2) Compare the descriptions of the deaths of the persecutors in Lactantius and comment on the attitude of the writer.

3) What are the elements that contribute to build the imperial ideology in Eusebius' Life of Constantine 4) The vision of Constantine and the relevant sources 5) Imperial ideology seen through the Constantinian programme of building

6) Mary/Marinos: comment on the life of a cross-dressing saint

GENERAL BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anne P. Alwis, Celibate Marriages London-New York 2011

Barnes, T., Constantine and Eusebius, Harvard University Press 1984

P. Brown "The raise and the Function of the Holy man in late Antiquity", Journal of Roman Studies (61) 1971, pp. 80-101

Brown, P. The World of Late Antiquity, London 1971 (reprinted 2013)

Brown P., The making of Late Antiquity, Harvard University Press 1978 Cameron A. and S. G. Hall, Eusebius. The Life of Constantine, Oxford 1999

Creed, J.L., Lactantius. De mortibus persecutorum, Oxford 1984 (English Translation)

Grig L. and  Kelly G., Two Romes. Rome and Constantinople in Late Antiquity, Oxford 2012

Haffernann T., The Passio of Perpetua and Felicity, Oxford 2012

R. Krautheimer, Rome, Profile of a City, Princeton University Press 1980

Lane Fox R., Pagan and Christians in the Mediterranean world from the second century AD to the conversion of Constantine, London 1986 (Penguin)

Lapidge. M., The Roman Martyrs, Oxford 2018

Lenski, N., (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Constantine, Cambridge 2006

Lieu S. and Montserrat D., From Constantine to Julian, London-New York 1996

Little, L.K, (ed.), Plague and the End of Antiquity, Cambridge 2007

Mango, C. The Art of the Byzantine Empire 312-453, Toronto 1986 

Matson Odhal C., Constantine and the Christian Empire, New York-Oxford 2005

S. Runciman, The Byzantine Theocracy, Cambridge 1977

K. Sessa, Daily Life in Late Antiquity, Cambridge 2018

Stephenson, P., Constantine. Unconquered London 2009

Stephenson, P., New Rome. The Roman Empire in the East, AD 395-700, London 2022

On more specific issues: M. Anastos: "The Edict oìf Milan", Revue des études byzantines, 25 (1967), pp. 13-41

T. Christensen, "The So-called Edict of Milan, Classica et Medievalia, 35 (1984), pp.129-175