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This book is an exploration of political memory and disgrace in the reigns of Constantine and his sons. It uses the conditions of the early to mid-fourth century to argue that the deconstruction of political legitimacy should be viewed, first and foremost, as a collective phenomenon, the result of the actions of a diverse range of people responding to political change. It also challenges many positivist and teleological narratives of the 'Age of Constantine'. Shifting the focus from the emperor and his sons onto their rivals and opponents, the Constantinian dynasty is placed back into the messy and ambiguous political environment from which it emerged.
List of contents
Introduction .- 1. Maximian .- 2. Licinius .- 3. Crispus .- 4. Magnentius .- 5. Epilogue .- 6. Appendices.
About the author
Rebecca Usherwood is Assistant Professor in Late Antique and Early Byzantine Studies at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. She has previously held teaching posts at the University of St Andrews, Durham University, the University of Nottingham, and UCL.
Report
The wealth of material information presented throughout the book. The richness of late Roman society, of the many ways in which the individuals who carved or erased inscriptions reacted to current political events, is brilliantly presented. (Gabriel Requia Gabbardo, The Classical Review, Vol. 74 (1), 2024)
