In this Book
University of California Press
- Constantine and the Captive Christians of Persia: Martyrdom and Religious Identity in Late Antiquity
- Book
- 2016
- Published by: University of California Press
- Series: Transformation of the Classical Heritage
summary
It is widely believed that the Emperor Constantine’s conversion to Christianity politicized religious allegiances, dividing the Christian Roman Empire from the Zoroastrian Sasanian Empire and leading to the persecution of Christians in Persia. This account, however, is based on Greek ecclesiastical histories and Syriac martyrdom narratives that date to centuries after the fact. In this groundbreaking study, Kyle Smith analyzes diverse Greek, Latin, and Syriac sources to show that there was not a single history of fourth-century Mesopotamia. By examining the conflicting hagiographical and historical evidence, Constantine and the Captive Christians of Persia presents an evocative and evolving portrait of the first Christian emperor, uncovering how Syriac Christians manipulated the image of their western Christian counterparts to fashion their own political and religious identities during this century of radical change.
Table of Contents
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- Acknowledgments
- pp. xiii-xvi
- Abbreviations
- pp. xvii-xxi
- PART ONE. The Roman Frontier and the Persian War
- PART TWO. Roman Captives and Persian Envoys
- Bibliography
- pp. 197-216
Additional Information
ISBN
9780520964204
Related ISBN(s)
9780520289604
MARC Record
OCLC
932625504
Pages
256
Launched on MUSE
2016-05-19
Language
English
Open Access
No