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Sources chrétiennes #559
The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine: From 306 to AD 337
Constantine the Great is one of those rare historical figures who is nearly as controversial today as he was in his own time. Lauded, both then and now, as a military hero who ended the brutal persecutions of Christians and as the first Roman emperor to himself embrace Christianity, Constantine is just as often vilified as a destructive innovator, a coddler of heretics, and a tyrannical hypocrite with the blood of his own family on his hands. The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine was penned shortly after the emperor's death in AD 337 by the great Church historian Eusebius Pamphilus, bishop of C]sarea. Though criticized as mere panegyric lionizing Constantine's virtues while ignoring his flaws, Eusebius's Life is nonetheless the most substantial and detailed biography of the first Christian emperor to come down to us from antiquity. The work is also the sole source for several key episodes in Constantine's life--including the emperor's famous vision of a cross in the sky accompanied by the words, "Conquer by this."
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 339
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 28, 2022
This is a biography of Constantine the Great, written by his faithful supporter Eusebius.
Plot. Rating 3
Constantine had a very bright, eventful life with many unexpected plot twists, conspiracie,s and battles. It is a pity that for his era there were no thorough historians who created their deep and detailed annals in the first and second centuries of the Roman Empire. Eusebius is too biased, and also misses many important events. Wars and conspiracies are described very briefly and even fragmentarily, while much more space is given to doxology in honor of the emperor and church events. For example, such an important matter as the founding of Constantinople was omitted.
However, Eusebius remains one of the most detailed historians on Constantine's reign.
A little is better than nothing.
Characters. Rating 4
There are few characters. The opponents of Constantine are shown only from the bad side, and the first Christian emperor is presented as an ideal person. However, the genre must be taken into account. Also, despite the partiality of the author, the book shows the mercy, moderation, and mind of Constantine from various small details. I think he was a positive character and a good ruler who tried to make the empire better.
Dialogues. Rating 4
It is sometimes unbearably difficult to find dialogue in non-fiction literature. Fortunately, dialogues are found in Constantine's letters and decrees. Basically, they are devoted to the affairs of the church. It seemed to me that the emperor was deeply aware of various problems and tried to solve them without cruelty and bloodshed.
Writing style. Rating 3
The style is perceived as a little difficult because of the lush words and the length and emptiness of some paragraphs and sentences. At times, sentences need to be reread.
Worldbuilding. Rating 4
Eusebius is concentrated on the Christian faith and the organization of the affairs of the church. Although the confrontation with Licinius is described well, more or less. The book contains many details of Roman life in the fourth century AD which adds to our poor knowledge of it due to lack of sources.
Conclusion. Overall rating 4
This is a biography. It differs from historical annals, but it is interesting enough for history buffs.
Plot. Rating 3
Constantine had a very bright, eventful life with many unexpected plot twists, conspiracie,s and battles. It is a pity that for his era there were no thorough historians who created their deep and detailed annals in the first and second centuries of the Roman Empire. Eusebius is too biased, and also misses many important events. Wars and conspiracies are described very briefly and even fragmentarily, while much more space is given to doxology in honor of the emperor and church events. For example, such an important matter as the founding of Constantinople was omitted.
However, Eusebius remains one of the most detailed historians on Constantine's reign.
A little is better than nothing.
Characters. Rating 4
There are few characters. The opponents of Constantine are shown only from the bad side, and the first Christian emperor is presented as an ideal person. However, the genre must be taken into account. Also, despite the partiality of the author, the book shows the mercy, moderation, and mind of Constantine from various small details. I think he was a positive character and a good ruler who tried to make the empire better.
Dialogues. Rating 4
It is sometimes unbearably difficult to find dialogue in non-fiction literature. Fortunately, dialogues are found in Constantine's letters and decrees. Basically, they are devoted to the affairs of the church. It seemed to me that the emperor was deeply aware of various problems and tried to solve them without cruelty and bloodshed.
Writing style. Rating 3
The style is perceived as a little difficult because of the lush words and the length and emptiness of some paragraphs and sentences. At times, sentences need to be reread.
Worldbuilding. Rating 4
Eusebius is concentrated on the Christian faith and the organization of the affairs of the church. Although the confrontation with Licinius is described well, more or less. The book contains many details of Roman life in the fourth century AD which adds to our poor knowledge of it due to lack of sources.
Conclusion. Overall rating 4
This is a biography. It differs from historical annals, but it is interesting enough for history buffs.
June 30, 2022
Very interesting book, I was surprised. All the commentaries I’ve seen toss it aside as a hagiography of Constantine. To be fair, there is some of that. But skipping this book because of that would be throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
At the end of the 3rd century, Emperor Diocletian established the tetrarchy to rule the Roman Empire. The tetrarchy consisted of two senior Caesars (Augusti), and their two successors (caesars), with one Augustus ruling the western empire and one ruling the east. In 305, Constantine’s father Constantius became one of the Augusti, but died the next year in 306. Constantine was then declared Augustus by Constantius’ army, which preceeded a long battle for power among various Caesars and Caesar wannabes. Long story short, by 324 all the rival claimants were dead or sidelined and Constantine became the sole Augustus.
The first section of the book is basically history, telling of Constantine’s father, Constantines’ relationship with the other Caesars, conflicts with them and how they were resolved militarily, ending in Constantine being the sole Caesar, Augustus. Some of the other Caesars were virulently anti-Christian, and the book describes that. Once Constantine consolidated power, he began restoring the property and position of the Christians, and there are long sections with quotes from primary sources about how he did that. The first section ends with his death and the long planned ascensions of his sons to fill his place.
The second section totally surprised me. It is The Oration of the Emperor Constantine to the Assembly of the Saints. This is a 40 page or so section that dwells not on his greatness, but on the greatness of God. It is a tightly argued argument for the existence of God, the limitations of “philosophy”, that Christ was predicted and indeed is the Word of God, the necessity of virtue, and the certainty of judgement. He ends by ascribing anything good within him to God, and anything deficient to his own failings. Hardly the typical work of a triumphal, all powerful emperor.
The third section is by Eusebius, delivered as an oration on the 30th year of his reign (near the end of his life). One would expect this to be a long hagiography about Constantine, but again one would be wrong. This is a 45 page theological and doctrinal dissertation laying out the very foundations of Christianity. There are of course some nods to Constantine, but by and large this is a defense of the faith in the fullest sense of the term. In a way, it picks up where Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History leaves off. That books covers several hundred years of history, where this one covers more like 50 – 60.
I highly recommend you read this book if you have the slightest intellectual curiosity about what Christianity looked like in the 4th century before the collapse of the western Roman empire and the advent of the “dark ages”. In some way it is so similar to what we know as Christianity today, but in other ways it is strikingly different. Probably the biggest difference is the visceral, life and death nature of their devotion to the Word of God (aka Christ). There were approximately zero cultural Christians then. To be a Christian was to stand a good chance of being tortured or killed for your faith, or being forced to recant.
At the end of the 3rd century, Emperor Diocletian established the tetrarchy to rule the Roman Empire. The tetrarchy consisted of two senior Caesars (Augusti), and their two successors (caesars), with one Augustus ruling the western empire and one ruling the east. In 305, Constantine’s father Constantius became one of the Augusti, but died the next year in 306. Constantine was then declared Augustus by Constantius’ army, which preceeded a long battle for power among various Caesars and Caesar wannabes. Long story short, by 324 all the rival claimants were dead or sidelined and Constantine became the sole Augustus.
The first section of the book is basically history, telling of Constantine’s father, Constantines’ relationship with the other Caesars, conflicts with them and how they were resolved militarily, ending in Constantine being the sole Caesar, Augustus. Some of the other Caesars were virulently anti-Christian, and the book describes that. Once Constantine consolidated power, he began restoring the property and position of the Christians, and there are long sections with quotes from primary sources about how he did that. The first section ends with his death and the long planned ascensions of his sons to fill his place.
The second section totally surprised me. It is The Oration of the Emperor Constantine to the Assembly of the Saints. This is a 40 page or so section that dwells not on his greatness, but on the greatness of God. It is a tightly argued argument for the existence of God, the limitations of “philosophy”, that Christ was predicted and indeed is the Word of God, the necessity of virtue, and the certainty of judgement. He ends by ascribing anything good within him to God, and anything deficient to his own failings. Hardly the typical work of a triumphal, all powerful emperor.
The third section is by Eusebius, delivered as an oration on the 30th year of his reign (near the end of his life). One would expect this to be a long hagiography about Constantine, but again one would be wrong. This is a 45 page theological and doctrinal dissertation laying out the very foundations of Christianity. There are of course some nods to Constantine, but by and large this is a defense of the faith in the fullest sense of the term. In a way, it picks up where Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History leaves off. That books covers several hundred years of history, where this one covers more like 50 – 60.
I highly recommend you read this book if you have the slightest intellectual curiosity about what Christianity looked like in the 4th century before the collapse of the western Roman empire and the advent of the “dark ages”. In some way it is so similar to what we know as Christianity today, but in other ways it is strikingly different. Probably the biggest difference is the visceral, life and death nature of their devotion to the Word of God (aka Christ). There were approximately zero cultural Christians then. To be a Christian was to stand a good chance of being tortured or killed for your faith, or being forced to recant.
December 23, 2014
Cameron and Hall have given us an accessible translation and introduction to this controversial and fascinating work by the 4th-century bishop, biblical exegete, and ecclesiastical historian Eusebius of Caesarea. The Life of Constantine has received a great deal of attention, much of it derisive, for its genre categorization-defying, cringe-inducing laudation of the famous emperor. It's an important work for too many reasons to name here, so avoiding it because of these reasons is not an option. Fortunately, Cameron and Hall offer many tools to aid our reading.
It's easy to get distracted with Eusebius's bloated language elevating Constantine. If we read this text thinking that Christianity was firmly established and Eusebius was gloating over its triumph and genuflecting to the emperor for his part in it, then we misunderstand not only Eusebius, but the narrative of Christianity in the 4th century. As an eye-witness both to the brutality of the Diocletianic persecutions and the wild, unexpected Constantinian shift toward tolerance, Eusebius understood the precarious position of Christianity. There was no guarantee that Constantine was more than a blip on the timeline of Roman emperors. Sure, Christianity enjoyed official status now, but that situation could shift in an instant. With his famous Church History, the bishop used his position of influence to chronicle the story of Christianity for the church so as to energize their faith and document bishop succession to promote unity. With the Life of Constantine, Eusebius used his position of influence to craft a rhetorical work for future emperors (Constantine's sons et al) so as to promote this new kind of emperor. The success of Rome had depended upon the architecture of paganism. Eusebius knew that simply toppling that architecture was not enough; Rome needed a new architecture that ensured success and security and that superior to paganism. Eusebius was gunning for Christianity to be that framework with everything he could muster.
Note: The rating reflects the edition by Cameron and Hall. I don't like rating ancient sources according to preference.
It's easy to get distracted with Eusebius's bloated language elevating Constantine. If we read this text thinking that Christianity was firmly established and Eusebius was gloating over its triumph and genuflecting to the emperor for his part in it, then we misunderstand not only Eusebius, but the narrative of Christianity in the 4th century. As an eye-witness both to the brutality of the Diocletianic persecutions and the wild, unexpected Constantinian shift toward tolerance, Eusebius understood the precarious position of Christianity. There was no guarantee that Constantine was more than a blip on the timeline of Roman emperors. Sure, Christianity enjoyed official status now, but that situation could shift in an instant. With his famous Church History, the bishop used his position of influence to chronicle the story of Christianity for the church so as to energize their faith and document bishop succession to promote unity. With the Life of Constantine, Eusebius used his position of influence to craft a rhetorical work for future emperors (Constantine's sons et al) so as to promote this new kind of emperor. The success of Rome had depended upon the architecture of paganism. Eusebius knew that simply toppling that architecture was not enough; Rome needed a new architecture that ensured success and security and that superior to paganism. Eusebius was gunning for Christianity to be that framework with everything he could muster.
Note: The rating reflects the edition by Cameron and Hall. I don't like rating ancient sources according to preference.
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March 9, 2025Well I understand why people accuse Eusebius of being a sycophant of Constantine's now.
December 2, 2025
Depiction of Constantine as such a kind emperor reveals more about Eusebius than it does about Constantine.
"Give me back therefore peaceful days and undisturbed nights, so that I too may still have some pleasure left in the clear light and happiness of a quiet life. Otherwise I must weep and constantly break down in tears, and not even face the rest of my life with equanimity. If the peoples of God, my own fellow-servants I mean, are so divided by wicked and damaging strife between themselves, how can my thoughts any longer be collected?"
Constantine on the Arian controversy
May 1, 2021
One gets the sense that Eusebius’ strong admiration for Constantine compromised his ability to write a dispassionate account of his life. Nevertheless, as a personal friend of the emperor, Eusebius was able to provide some extremely valuable insights and to reproduce documents from Constantine’s hand.
Constantine was obviously both great and noble, despite his many flaws. God providentially accomplished many magnificent things through him—in direct contravention to the many slanders that are routinely leveled against him. The emperor would be the first to attribute his accomplishments to the magnanimity and grace of God:
“...I am most certainly persuaded that I myself owe my life, my every breath, in short, my very inmost and secret thoughts, entirely to the favor of the Supreme God.”
The evidence that Constantine was a genuine Christian seems overwhelming, and includes both his public professions and his actions. Such a noble figure is certainly worthy of study, and Eusebius’ biography is a helpful (if partial) resource toward that end.
Constantine was obviously both great and noble, despite his many flaws. God providentially accomplished many magnificent things through him—in direct contravention to the many slanders that are routinely leveled against him. The emperor would be the first to attribute his accomplishments to the magnanimity and grace of God:
“...I am most certainly persuaded that I myself owe my life, my every breath, in short, my very inmost and secret thoughts, entirely to the favor of the Supreme God.”
The evidence that Constantine was a genuine Christian seems overwhelming, and includes both his public professions and his actions. Such a noble figure is certainly worthy of study, and Eusebius’ biography is a helpful (if partial) resource toward that end.
March 8, 2023
Eusebius doesn't write a history or biography of Constantine but a hagiography. He has nothing but praise for Constantine as a saint. He doesn't mention some of Constantine's most notorious deeds in dealing with his son and wife, so not sure what he thought of those events. He certainly is quite taken with the idea that God raised Constantine at just the right moment to bring one religion, one God, one emperor and one empire into existence - one world religion to rule them all. Again, he had to have been aware of people outside the Empire like the Persians, a perennial enemy of Rome, but also that people lived in India and Africa, but they somehow don't count in his idea of the world (or maybe he believes the Roman Empire constitutes the civilized world and all those outside the Empire don't really count at all). But he certainly embraces an idea that you can also find in Cyril of Alexandria that the proof of Christianity's truth is found in the fact that Christianity alone rules the world. Judaism is in tatters with its temple destroyed. And he declares all the world is now at peace because of Constantine. Paganism is not only in decline but is being destroyed by Constantine and this too proves Christianity's superiority and truth. But with his might = right logic, one would have to conclude that Islam's eventual defeat of the Roman Empire (and that all the great cities of the Eastern Empire - Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem - fall under Muslim domination) means that the Christians should also have embraced Islam. The great Hagia Sophia is now a museum maybe being turned into a mosque again. None of the cities mentioned in the book of Revelation are still Christian cities. Eusebius's claims of the ultimate and final victory of God/ Christianity/ Constantine certainly must have seemed to him miraculous and ushering in a new age, but now 1700 years after Eusebius, his logic fails totally. He was far too taken by power and might and lost sight of Christ's claim that His Kingdom is not of this world.
May 8, 2021
This edition of the book includes two of the author’s works, The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine, and The Oration of Eusebius Pamphilus, In Praise of the Emperor Constantine, Pronounced on the Thirtieth Anniversary of His Reign. It also contains an oration of Emperor Constantine’s. The first of Eusebius’ works is an account of Constantine’s actions to establish Christianity in the Roman Empire. The second is Eusebius’ theology, as written to Constantine.
The Life of Constantine is not so thorough a biography as Augustine’s Confessions; Eusebius does not go into details of Constantine’s birth or childhood, but writes about Constantine’s adulthood, mainly in relation to his role as Christian Emperor. (As a side note, there is an interesting correlation between Constantine’s mother and Augustine’s mother, both of whom are Christians, faithful and committed.) Eusebius repeatedly writes of the emperor’s efforts to defeat polytheism and establish monotheism. He likes to write of the emperor’s building of churches in Constantinople and in the Holy Land. And he writes of Constantine’s defeat of corrupt men.
The Oration repeats some of the themes written in the biography of Constantine. It is clear that Eusebius is most concerned with the defeat of polytheism and establishing Christianity. He writes of the false gods honored in terrible ways, such as animal or human sacrifice, and bringing about the end of them by the better Christian way.
The Life of Constantine is not so thorough a biography as Augustine’s Confessions; Eusebius does not go into details of Constantine’s birth or childhood, but writes about Constantine’s adulthood, mainly in relation to his role as Christian Emperor. (As a side note, there is an interesting correlation between Constantine’s mother and Augustine’s mother, both of whom are Christians, faithful and committed.) Eusebius repeatedly writes of the emperor’s efforts to defeat polytheism and establish monotheism. He likes to write of the emperor’s building of churches in Constantinople and in the Holy Land. And he writes of Constantine’s defeat of corrupt men.
The Oration repeats some of the themes written in the biography of Constantine. It is clear that Eusebius is most concerned with the defeat of polytheism and establishing Christianity. He writes of the false gods honored in terrible ways, such as animal or human sacrifice, and bringing about the end of them by the better Christian way.
August 25, 2024
Formidable ! Souvent décrite comme une hagiographie, cette biographie d'Eusèbe de Césarée est, au contraire, écrite comme il se doit.
Elle contient les événements les plus importants de la vie de Constantin, comprenant entre autres son ascension après son père Constance, le fameux signe venu du ciel lors de la bataille du pont Milvius ('in hoc signo vinces'), ses combats religieux contre les tyrans païens (Maxence, Licinius), la construction des églises à Golgotha, la convocation du premier concile nommé œcuménique à Nicée pour combattre la dissension dans l'Église catholique (notamment contre les Ariens), etc., sans s'enliser dans des détails superflus. Il est également remarquable qu'Eusèbe inclut plusieurs lettres de l'empereur, offrant ainsi une perspective authentique du personnage. Les notes de cette édition de SC se révèlent aussi très utiles pour fournir plus de contexte, notamment pour les lettres, mais aussi pour éclaircir certains faits historiques qui peuvent sembler parfois un peu cachés ou implicites.
Hautement recommandé !
Elle contient les événements les plus importants de la vie de Constantin, comprenant entre autres son ascension après son père Constance, le fameux signe venu du ciel lors de la bataille du pont Milvius ('in hoc signo vinces'), ses combats religieux contre les tyrans païens (Maxence, Licinius), la construction des églises à Golgotha, la convocation du premier concile nommé œcuménique à Nicée pour combattre la dissension dans l'Église catholique (notamment contre les Ariens), etc., sans s'enliser dans des détails superflus. Il est également remarquable qu'Eusèbe inclut plusieurs lettres de l'empereur, offrant ainsi une perspective authentique du personnage. Les notes de cette édition de SC se révèlent aussi très utiles pour fournir plus de contexte, notamment pour les lettres, mais aussi pour éclaircir certains faits historiques qui peuvent sembler parfois un peu cachés ou implicites.
Hautement recommandé !
September 1, 2021
La vie de Constantin est une biographie de l'empereur Constantin par l'évêque contemporain, Eusèbe de Césarée. Quoique, soyons précis: c'est une hagiographie (vie de saint).
J'ai été profondément touché par cette oeuvre, et notamment par la sincérité de la foi de Constantin. Si l'objectif du livre était d'éveiller de l'admiration pour cet empereur, c'est très réussi: tout ce que nous pouvons admirer et respecter chez un chrétien se trouve chez lui. En conséquence, je l'ai ajouté dans mon petit répertoire de personnes à imiter.
Le style chargé d'Eusèbe n'est ici pas un problème particulier, et son habitude de multiplier les citations est très utile, puisqu'il garde ainsi beaucoup de lettres et sources primaires de l'empereur, si bien que même si l'on met de côté les commentaires élogieux, il y a dans les citations seulement de quoi admirer Constantin.
Bref, si vous vous intéressez à Constantin, lisez ce livre, ne serait-ce que parce que c'est une source primaire.
J'ai été profondément touché par cette oeuvre, et notamment par la sincérité de la foi de Constantin. Si l'objectif du livre était d'éveiller de l'admiration pour cet empereur, c'est très réussi: tout ce que nous pouvons admirer et respecter chez un chrétien se trouve chez lui. En conséquence, je l'ai ajouté dans mon petit répertoire de personnes à imiter.
Le style chargé d'Eusèbe n'est ici pas un problème particulier, et son habitude de multiplier les citations est très utile, puisqu'il garde ainsi beaucoup de lettres et sources primaires de l'empereur, si bien que même si l'on met de côté les commentaires élogieux, il y a dans les citations seulement de quoi admirer Constantin.
Bref, si vous vous intéressez à Constantin, lisez ce livre, ne serait-ce que parce que c'est une source primaire.
November 19, 2024
This Was Thick
Eusebius really made Constantine out to be almost as perfect as Christ Himself. Very concerning. The doctrines presented were more carnal than spiritual. An example would be calling buildings churches rather than believers in Christ as the collective church.
Another thing that bothered me was Constantine waiting till the end of his life to be water baptized. A person is forgiven of sins the moment one simply trusts in Jesus and His finished redemptive work on the cross.
Water baptism is the acknowledgment of being crucified with Christ, being buried with Him by realizing your flesh cannot please God, and you are resurrected with Him unto eternal Life which is the acknowledgment of being already born again. Water baptism or any other work can not save you only Grace Through Faith in Christ Jesus can (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Eusebius really made Constantine out to be almost as perfect as Christ Himself. Very concerning. The doctrines presented were more carnal than spiritual. An example would be calling buildings churches rather than believers in Christ as the collective church.
Another thing that bothered me was Constantine waiting till the end of his life to be water baptized. A person is forgiven of sins the moment one simply trusts in Jesus and His finished redemptive work on the cross.
Water baptism is the acknowledgment of being crucified with Christ, being buried with Him by realizing your flesh cannot please God, and you are resurrected with Him unto eternal Life which is the acknowledgment of being already born again. Water baptism or any other work can not save you only Grace Through Faith in Christ Jesus can (Ephesians 2:8-9)
January 19, 2022
Sicuramente una fonte storica essenziale e fondamentale per gli studi del mondo classico. Quanto ad opera l'autore, nonostante le molteplici fonti presenti, scrive pressoché un elogio a Costantino, paragonandolo a Dio, al sole e a un messaggero del Signore, eliminando anche tutti gli eventuali errori da lui fatti, e fatti che potevano mettere lo stesso imperatore in cattiva luce.
L'opera inoltre sembra un racconto di corte per elogiare, appunto, un sovrano e raccontarne le gesta più illustri, anche a rischio di omettere errori. Come un amante elogia l'amato.
L'opera inoltre sembra un racconto di corte per elogiare, appunto, un sovrano e raccontarne le gesta più illustri, anche a rischio di omettere errori. Come un amante elogia l'amato.
July 20, 2020
Ridiculous
Constantine is portrayed like a prince charming in a fairly tale, under the bright light of heaven and God. The emperor's wives were never mentioned. First one because he ordered their son Crispus killed, and the second one, Fausta, because he killed her. All the divagations about God and the strong words to condemn the other religions look like the tribulation of a possessed man.
Constantine is portrayed like a prince charming in a fairly tale, under the bright light of heaven and God. The emperor's wives were never mentioned. First one because he ordered their son Crispus killed, and the second one, Fausta, because he killed her. All the divagations about God and the strong words to condemn the other religions look like the tribulation of a possessed man.
January 16, 2022
Pretty enjoyable chronicle of Constantine's reign written by his hypeman. Thankfully its fairly short as it tends to drag on a bit. You can only hear about how pious and good Constantine was until it gets repetitive.
There are still a lot of interesting historical details however, which is why i would still recommend checking this out. The Roman empire's christianization is a fascinating subject and this is probably one of the best primary sources for it.
There are still a lot of interesting historical details however, which is why i would still recommend checking this out. The Roman empire's christianization is a fascinating subject and this is probably one of the best primary sources for it.
June 22, 2018
Constantine is a polarizing figure in the Christian world. Eusebius reports that he was a wise, pious, strong, and benevolent ruler, who loved God and worshiped his Son. The arguments that I have read, which present Constantine as anything other than this, seem to lack evidence from any primary source.
March 1, 2025
Most interesting for my purposes is the consistent Moses typology with Constantine. Just as Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s court, Constantine was raised under the pagan tetrarchy. Just as Moses saved the Israelites from slavery, Constantine protected the church from pagan rulers. Just as Moses made the bronze serpent to deliver the Israelites, Constantine made his standard the sign of the cross that caused Licinius’ army to flee.
You get the idea. For Eusebius, this Christian emperor was truly a new, maybe even greater, Moses. Perhaps we would be better served by seeing all of our lives as fulfillments of the saints’ lives before us, as Hebrews says, “apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
You get the idea. For Eusebius, this Christian emperor was truly a new, maybe even greater, Moses. Perhaps we would be better served by seeing all of our lives as fulfillments of the saints’ lives before us, as Hebrews says, “apart from us they should not be made perfect.”
January 16, 2022
الكتاب تاريخيا ذو قيمة عالية، وهو يشكل دليلا دامغا على ما حدث من تلاعب بعده.
السؤال الذي يثير الحزن والدهشة: كيف اعتبرت العقول (على مدى قرون) التي قرأت هذا الكتاب كلام يوسابيوس مرجعا لأحد أخطر قرارات التاريخ تأثيرا ولم تجرؤ على التشكيك في كلامه؟
السؤال الذي يثير الحزن والدهشة: كيف اعتبرت العقول (على مدى قرون) التي قرأت هذا الكتاب كلام يوسابيوس مرجعا لأحد أخطر قرارات التاريخ تأثيرا ولم تجرؤ على التشكيك في كلامه؟
March 4, 2024
Easy to read because of how obviously biased and non-historical it is. A ridiculous panegyric of Constantine. Seeing through the fog of Eusebius' writings can provide some useful information on laws, movements of the Emperors or bishops, some information about Churches, and persecution of Paganism (which Eusebius revels in). Commentary is well written and helpful. 4/10
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May 30, 2020I found this to be an enjoyable read.
September 6, 2021
Read this for HY424 The Byzantine Empire course at JSU Fall 2021 with Dr. Yuliya Minets.
March 2, 2024
Interesting read
Very interesting content! Helps to give a clearer picture of the times as well as development and formalization of the church. Also the translation is well done.
Very interesting content! Helps to give a clearer picture of the times as well as development and formalization of the church. Also the translation is well done.
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January 2, 2025Mathew 7:22-23
March 11, 2017
"Life of Constantine" was a very interesting book to me, and it contained many of the elements that I liked about Eusebius's "History of the Church"--long quotations of source material; vivid, clever metaphors--but overall it wasn't as good.
The main problem is Eusebius is just too flattering of Constantine. I get that after centuries of discouragement and sporadic outright persecution by the Roman Emperors, having Constantine come along and promote Christianity probably did seem like the greatest miracle God had ever sent to earth, but Eusebius gets over-the-top. One has the mental image of Eusebius as a dog eagerly sitting at Constantine's feet.
Eusebius admits that he is only concerned with Constantine's events that effect Christianity, but he skips over some interesting but less-flattering details--like the fact that for reasons unknown Constantine had his eldest son and second wife executed. Some of his logic also seems flawed, as when he says that Constantine took many old pagan statues from their original place and displayed them in public spaces in Constantinople to shame the pagans, when the much more likely answer is that Constantine just wanted some fancy decoration for his new city.
There were many good stories; the best passages were those that concerned Constantine versus Licinius (which again is too skewed, but it did read very lively; the kind of conflict that could be a Holywood movie), the Council of Nicaea, and descriptions of the design and construction of the churches Constantine built.
The main problem is Eusebius is just too flattering of Constantine. I get that after centuries of discouragement and sporadic outright persecution by the Roman Emperors, having Constantine come along and promote Christianity probably did seem like the greatest miracle God had ever sent to earth, but Eusebius gets over-the-top. One has the mental image of Eusebius as a dog eagerly sitting at Constantine's feet.
Eusebius admits that he is only concerned with Constantine's events that effect Christianity, but he skips over some interesting but less-flattering details--like the fact that for reasons unknown Constantine had his eldest son and second wife executed. Some of his logic also seems flawed, as when he says that Constantine took many old pagan statues from their original place and displayed them in public spaces in Constantinople to shame the pagans, when the much more likely answer is that Constantine just wanted some fancy decoration for his new city.
There were many good stories; the best passages were those that concerned Constantine versus Licinius (which again is too skewed, but it did read very lively; the kind of conflict that could be a Holywood movie), the Council of Nicaea, and descriptions of the design and construction of the churches Constantine built.
August 22, 2021
Ancient history for those interested in church development.
June 17, 2015
Written by the Roman historian Eusebius, this is a eulogy honoring emperor Constantine. Eusebius was the "official" historian for Constantine, so he likely did all he could to portray Constantine in a favorable light, especially in terms of his conversion, i.e. Constantine is THE Christian emperor. He's almost portrayed as a saint, a recreation of a Christian hero model. In chapter 3 he puts forward the idea that God honors pious kings, i.e. Constantine, but destroys tyrants. Here you get the beginning of the sense of the divine right of kings, i.e. the idea that God put kings on the throne, and therefore they have unlimited power and are above the law (developed in France formally in 1600s). If God is pleased with you as king, you have to do whatever the king says. This justifies whatever Constantine decides to do. He's like a mini Messiah; God has confirmed what he does. Eusebius demonstrates this with: his military victories which have led to conquests. If this is true then you'll keep on conquering to prove God favors you. So the Roman empire continues to grow during this era.
November 27, 2023
A great look at one side of the Emperor Constantine.
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July 7, 2017This is the earliest primary source to describe visions that supposedly led to the conversion of Constantine. The author, the Bishop of Caesaria, wrote this biography several years after the death of the emperor to describe the life and the realizations of the first Christian Roman Emperor who changed the world history and who glorified the new religion in the huge Roman Empire.
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