Constantine and the captive Christians of Persia : martyrdom and religious identity in Late Antiquity / Kyle Smith.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: Constantine and the writing of fourth-century history -- Patronizing Persians: Constantine's Letter to Shapur II -- Constantine's crusade: the emperor's last days and the Persian campaign -- Rereading Nisibis: narrating the battle for Roman Mesopotamia -- On war and persecution: Aphrahat the Persian sage and the martyrdom and history of Blessed Simeon bar Sabbae -- The church of the East and the territorialization of Christianity -- Memories of Constantine in the Acts of the Persian Martyrs -- Appendix 1: Constantine's Letter to Shapur II (Euseb. VC IV. 8-14) -- Appendix 2: Martydom of the captives of Beth Zabdai -- Appendix 3: Martyrdom of Abbot Barshebya, ten fellow brothers, and one magus.

"This book demonstrates that the history of Christianity in the fourth century has been written mainly on the basis of Greek ecclesiastical histories and Syriac martyrdom narratives that date to decades, even centuries, after the fact. By closely analyzing these sources--which often exhibit conflicting religious, political, and hagiographical agendas--an evolving portrait of the first Christian emperor begins to emerge. This portrait of Constantine is useful not for re-constructing the events of the fourth century, but for understanding how the Syriac Christians of Roman Mesopotamia and Sasanian Persia used Constantine and the Christians of the West to fashion multiple political and religious identities over a prolonged period of change"--Provided by publisher.

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