Del 57 i serien Transformation of the Classical Heritage

Constantine and the Captive Christians of Persia

Martyrdom and Religious Identity in Late Antiquity

Häftad, Engelska, 2019

AvKyle Smith

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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.

Produktinformation

Utgivningsdatum2019-11-12
Mått152 x 229 x 15 mm
Vikt363 g
FormatHäftad
SpråkEngelska
SerieTransformation of the Classical Heritage
Antal sidor256
FörlagUniversity of California Press
ISBN9780520308398

Tillhör följande kategorier

Religion: allmänt inom Filosofi och religion
Asiens historia inom Historia och arkeologi
Forntidens historia inom Historia och arkeologi
Kristendom inom Filosofi och religion

AcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsIntroduction: Constantine and the Writing of Fourth-Century HistoryPART I: THE ROMAN FRONTIER AND THE PERSIAN WAR1 • Patronizing Persians: Constantine’s Letter to Shapur II2 • Constantine’s Crusade: The Emperor’s Last Days and the Persian Campaign3 • Rereading Nisibis: Narrating the Battle for Roman MesopotamiaPART II: ROMAN CAPTIVES AND PERSIAN ENVOYS4 • On War and Persecution: Aphrahat the Persian Sage and the Martyrdom and History of Blessed Simeon bar Sabba?e5 • The Church of the East and the Territorialization of Christianity6 • Memories of Constantine in the Acts of the Persian MartyrsAppendix A. Constantine’s Letter to Shapur: Eusebius’s Life of Constantine IV.8–14Appendix B. Martyrdom of the Captives of Beth ZabdaiAppendix C. Martyrdom of Abbot Barshebya, Ten Fellow Brothers, and One Magus BibliographyIndex

"By examining Constantine through the lens of the Sasanian world...[Kyle Smith] manages to break free of Eusebius and his domineering narrative. This will pay dividends for our understanding of this major figure in world history, as well as the history of Christianity in Late Antiquity more broadly. That Smith’s book is so clearly written, well organized, and tightly argued further ensures its impact on the field."