| Constantine and the Bishops: The Politics of Intolerance Contributor(s): Drake, H. A. (Author) |
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ISBN: 0801871042 ISBN-13: 9780801871047 Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press OUR PRICE: $38.00 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: September 2002 Annotation: Historians who viewed imperial Rome in terms of a conflict between pagans and Christians have often regarded the emperor Constantine's conversion as the triumph of Christianity over paganism. But in Constantine and the Bishops, historian H. A. Drake offers a fresh and more nuanced understanding of Constantine's rule and, especially, of his relations with Christians. Constantine, Drake suggests, was looking not only for a god in whom to believe but also a policy he could adopt. Uncovering the political motivations behind Constantine's policies, Drake shows how those policies were constructed to ensure the stability of the empire and fulfill Constantine's imperial duty in securing the favor of heaven. Despite the emperor's conversion to Christianity, Drake concludes, Rome remained a world filled with gods and with men seeking to depose rivals from power. A book for students and scholars of ancient history and religion, Constantine and the Bishops shows how Christian belief motivated and gave shape to imperial rule. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Political Science - Religion | Christianity - History - History | Ancient - Rome |
| Dewey: 270.209 |
| LCCN: 99003186 |
| Series: Ancient Society and History |
| Physical Information: 1.48" H x 6.28" W x 8.54" (1.62 lbs) 632 pages |
| Themes: - Chronological Period - Ancient (To 499 A.D.) - Cultural Region - Italy - Religious Orientation - Christian |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Historians who viewed imperial Rome in terms of a conflict between pagans and Christians have often regarded the emperor Constantine's conversion as the triumph of Christianity over paganism. But in Constantine and the Bishops, historian H. A. Drake offers a fresh and more nuanced understanding of Constantine's rule and, especially, of his relations with Christians. Constantine, Drake suggests, was looking not only for a god in whom to believe but also a policy he could adopt. Uncovering the political motivations behind Constantine's policies, Drake shows how those policies were constructed to ensure the stability of the empire and fulfill Constantine's imperial duty in securing the favor of heaven. Despite the emperor's conversion to Christianity, Drake concludes, Rome remained a world filled with gods and with men seeking to depose rivals from power. A book for students and scholars of ancient history and religion, Constantine and the Bishops shows how Christian belief motivated and gave shape to imperial rule. |
Contributor Bio(s): Drake, H. A.: - H. A. Drake is a professor of history at the University of California, Santa Barbara. |