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. This study takes a fresh look at Constantine's rule uncovering the political motivations behind his policies. Constantine, H.A. Drake suggests, was looking not only for a god in whom to believe, but also a policy he could adopt. Drake shows how these policies were constructed to ensure the stability of the empire and fulfill Constantine's imperial duty in securing the favour 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. He shows how Christian belief motivated and gave shape to imperial rule.
About the Author :
H. A. Drake is a professor of history at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Review :
"A refreshingly original and powerfully argued re-conception of the issues and the forces at work in this period of the conversion not of Constantine, but of Christianity... With laser-keen insight, bold thinking, and also a large measure of wry humor, Drake has presented a plausible and powerful interpretation of this formative moment in Western history... A riveting story, and masterfully told. Anyone who rejoices in our Founding Fathers' constitutional conviction that church must be kept separate from state will read Constantine and the Bishops with deepest appreciation; and perhaps those who long for the opposite should read it, too. The lessons of late antiquity remain pertinent, alas, to the politics of religion in our own day." -- Paula Fredriksen, New Republic
"A thoughtful and erudite book that breaks the mold... A powerful study with a strong, coherent thesis, Constantine and the Bishops is animated by a fresh vision of the early fourth century. It skillfully incorporates major historical themes in unexpected and rewarding ways." -- Richard Lim, Speculum
"A well organized, well documented, and well written study." -- Richard A. Lebrun, H-Catholic, H-Net Reviews
"Compelling... His overarching thesis provides a persuasive new paradigm." -- David Brakke, Journal of Religion
"If you read one book on late antiquity this year, read this one. If you read one book on politics this year, read this one again... A work of visionary brilliance." -- Virginia Quarterly Review
"In its scholarship and size Constantine and the Bishops is clearly a work to benefit scholars, but the clarity of its explanations make it accessible to the enterprising undergraduate as well." -- Ronald J. Weber, History: Reviews of New Books
"The strength of this work is Drake's skillful use of a wide range of scholarship... This is a stimulating book, with a persuasive thesis." -- Nathan Howard, Journal of Church and State
"This is a learned, broadly based, and carefully elaborated argument. It is also racily written, interesting, and hard to put down." -- Stuart G. Hall, Journal of Theological Studies
