Constantine and Christendom: The Orations of the Saints; The Greek and Latin Accounts of the Discovery of the Cross; The Donation of Constantine to Pope Silvester

This volume makes available three works attributed to Constantine – two of which were certainly not written by him – which are important sources for historians of the papacy, Christianity and Constantine himself. The Oration to the Saints is an intellectual defense of Christianity, which puts the case for monotheism, extols the incarnation and voluntary abasement of the Son of God, and finally declares Constantine’s personal adherence to the Savior. The legend of the discovery of the True Cross by the empress Helena, mother of Constantine, following her conversion to Christianity is presented in translations of two variant accounts. The third text, the Edict of Constantine, presents Constantine’s supposed edict to Pope Silvester transferring lands to the papacy. An introduction considers the authorship, motivation and historical context for each of the works, and extensive annotation elucidates textual difficulties and allusions.