Customer Reviews

Constantine and the conversion of Europe (Men and history)

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This small, well-written volume does an admirable job of recreating the volatility of the theological-political cusp which the Roman empire found itself in the early 4th century. The primary instigator of this momentous transition, the Emperor Constantine, is rendered in a balanced, but somewhat muted, portrait. Beginning with an excellent explication of the root causes of Roman social and political difficulties in the 3rd century, Jones focuses quickly on the religious milieu of the times. In a few well-crafted paragraphs, he clearly illustrates Christianity's parallels and divergences from the other contemporary popular cults. This is combined with a somewhat bland recounting of Constantine's path to power and reasoned speculation concerning his famous pre-Malvian "vision," acceptance or rejection of which will largely depend on personal taste. Sounds good to me, though. Where the book really shines, though, is in its detailed portrayal of the bitter fractious disputes within the Church, and how they mercilessly frustrated Constantine's wish for theocratic unity. Seventeen centuries later, the Emperor's rage and consternation are still fresh in his letters.

in the course of Roman history, Jones aptly threads the line between historical analysis and narrative. He assuredly begins the book with a brief, yet astute history of Christianity in the Roman empire and carries through to the legal decrees establishing Christianity as the most favored religion of the empire. Yet, he does not forget to speculate on the plebeian reaction to Constantine's refusal to sacrifice to the Capitoline gods after his ascension to the throne.

This book is a wonderful place to begin the exploration of Christianity's role in the Roman empire.

A.H. M. Jones writes an admirable biography with negligible amounts of conjecture. Jones correctly states that we know little of Constantine's personal relationship with God. We possess historical evidence that outlines a vague conversion and details a somewhat sloppy and awkward evolution.

Constantine who ruled an ever-growing portion of the Roman Empire until his death, in 337 AD, is best known for being the first Christian Roman Emperor, his Edict of Milan put an end to institutionalized persecution of Christians in the Empire. But, was Constantine a Christian or an opportunist?

Constantine was a ruthless politician who killed rivals, subordinates and family members to ensure his own rise to power and popularity. It is his lifelong dedication to personal advancement at all costs that calls into question the legitimacy of his Christian conversion. Was he a Christian or did he simply realize that befriending the rapidly growing Christian population was a great opportunity to advance himself politically?

It is known that Constantine was baptized only shortly before his death in 337. Some hypothesize that his "deathbed conversion" proves he did not walk with Christ. However, Jones points out that Constantine was merely following custom at the time which postponed baptism until old age or death.

Constantine personally oversaw the Counsel of Nicea, which produced what we know today as bad theology. However, we must also acknowledge that Nicea produced better and more consistent theology then what existed at the time. A clear step in the right direction.

In my book, "Astronomical Symbols on Ancient and Medieval Coins", I devote an entire chapter to the visions of Constantine, the depiction of these visions on Constantinian coinage, and what Constantine actually saw in the heavens. As part of my research, I read numerous books on the life of Constantine, and I found Jones' book, "Constantine and the Conversion of Europe," to be useful.

There many items of interest that added to my understanding of the history of his reign, but at times I found this book to be a bit tedious to read compared to some other books about Constantine that I read. Nevertheless, Jones' book is a valuable resource.

I recommend this book to all who are interested in Roman history.

Marshall Faintich