I hadn't realised that this year is the 1,700th anniversary of Constantine I's acclamation as emperor in Britain. He was the only emperor to be hailed here - in York on 26 July 306. The Independent carries a story on an exhibition that opens tomorrow in York that might be worth a look. Less so the article.
I like the claim in the piece that:
Only Augustus Caesar, the first Roman emperor, rivalled Constantine's achievements in a reign that lasted until 387.
Not even Augustus managed to reign for 81 years. I am curious too about the "Christian basilica at the Lanteran in Rome" and the historian "Lanctitius" mentioned! All dangers, I suspect, of a telephone interview.
More seriously, not sure which tradition is being alluded to with Constantine's mother, Helena:
She was probably born a Christian, though virtually nothing is known of
her background, save that her father was a successful soldier.
I thought there was pretty much consensus that she was the daughter of an inn-keeper from Bithynia (Sozomen, 2.2.5; Procopius, de Aedificiis, 5.2; Philostorgius, 2.12). Certainly Ambrose (De obitu Theodosii, 42) calls her a stabularia.
And that is long before we get to the Battle of Milvian Bridge. Oh well.
Anyway, here is the link to the exhibition website. There are some downloadable resources in the press information section and the exhibition catalogue (criminally expensive as ever) looks especially good.
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