The Age of Martyrs: Christianity from Diocletian (284) to Constantine (337) [Paperback]

Abbot G. Ricciotti (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2009

The famous Catholic historian Abbot Giuseppe Ricciotti records the epochal events of Roman history from the Rise of Diocletian (285) to the death of Constantine the Great (337), a period which witnessed the last and greatest of the 10 persecutions of the Christians by the Roman government. Included are the stories of many of the most famous martyrdoms of that period, e.g., the "The Forty Martyrs" frozen to death on the ice of a pond in Sebaste.

In the rendition, the author also describes the meteoric and nearly miraclous rise of Constantine to complete control of the Empire from 307 to 324, including his lightning campaign in Italy, the famous Battle of the Milvian Bridge outside Rome (312), the epochal Edict of Milan (312), the defeat of Augustus Maximin in 313 and finally the defeat and death of the Augustus Lucinius in 324, at which time Constantine finally brought al persecution of the Christians to an end.

Included, also, are the founding of Constantinople as the "Second Rome," the calling of the Council of Nicea (325) to thwart the Arian Heresy, the rise and virulence of the Donatist Heresy, the excavation of the holy places in Jerusalem, the death of Arius, and finally the baptism and death of Constantine himself in 337.

Though pivotal in the history of the world, the life of Constantine the Great, as well as his thought and motives, remain in many regards shrouded in mystery. But as far as they can be known, Abbot Ricciotti has exposed them for our scrutiny. In all he has rendered a most illuminating account of the brief era in history which saw the Catholic Church emerge from persecution to freedom - to a freedom that would eventually lead to a prominence in world affairs which she has never lost and which has only been augmented with the passage of the centuries. In this sense, we still stand in the shadow of Constantine the Great.

Product Details

• Paperback: 305 pages
• Publisher: TAN Books and Publishers (March 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895556316
• ISBN-13: 978-0895556318
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #510,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Witnesses to Christ, Martyrs for truth., July 5, 2003

By 

matt (the reading room) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Martyrs: Christianity from Diocletian (284) to Constantine (337) (Paperback)

The seed of the Church is fed by the blood of martyrs. In a time when so much is made of supposedly Muslin martyrs, it is refreshing for Christians to recall what a true martyr is- someone who bears witness to their faith in Christ by laying down their life by the hands of persecutors. Ricciotti does an excellent job in weaving both historical narrative and quotations from primary sources to give the reader a real flavor of the stresses and glories of the early Church's position in society between 284 and 337.

The various forms of martyrdom are covered thoroughly. As well, an excellent prologue sets the stage for the political and religious climate of the era. It ends with a long discussion of various heresies that were rampant at the time (such as Arianism and Donatism). This is a very good source, in fact, for information of the Donatist Schism if you can't get a hold of Frend's massive study.

I was a bit surprised at one reviewer's remarks that this book was fit for the fire. The author of the book makes distinctions between the historical and fictional accounts of martyrdom in detail. While sympathetic to Latin Christianity, Ricciotti does not compromise his integrity as a historian. This is why I give the book five stars and the other lame review a thumbs down.

You may also enjoy reading "The Cruelty of Heresy" and Hengel's "The Cross of the Son of God".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid (but stolid) history, September 29, 2005

By 

Brad Shorr "Brad Shorr" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Age of Martyrs: Christianity from Diocletian (284) to Constantine (337) (Paperback)

This book covers some crucial ground in the history of the early Church, including the Great Persecution, the career of Constantine, the Donatist and Arian heresies, and the Council of Nicaea. Although the information is valuable, the scope is awfully broad, and Abbot Ricciotti has difficulty keeping the chronology of his narrative in order, making it a little hard to follow in spots. His writing style is scholarly and almost bland, but that may be due to the translation. In any event, he is very careful when citing his authorities to make sure we understand how reliable or unreliable they might be. This is a big plus, because this time period is rife with legends, misrepresentations, and wildly divergent points of view. On the whole, I came away with a much fuller understanding of the tensions between pagan and Christian Rome and of the sordid details of the persecutions and political scheming for power that unfortunately dominated the entire period.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book by Ricciotti, May 3, 2005

By 

mike duffy (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of Martyrs: Christianity from Diocletian (284) to Constantine (337) (Paperback)

I am a huge fan of Abbott Ricciotti's work, and have read just about all of his books which have been translated into English. His style is incredible - calm, clear, and rational - and he makes his points in such a magisterial fashion that is hard to refute them. This book covers the last persecutions of the church and Constantine's reign with his usual style and wit, with a nice section on the Arians. Highly recommended.