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A Bishop’s Biography: Eusebius of Caesarea and The Life of Constantine

Corke-Webster, James

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Authors

James Corke-Webster



Contributors

Koen De Temmerman
Editor

Abstract

Eusebius’ Life of Constantine is one of the oddest works of biography to survive from Antiquity. As such, its authenticity and genre have been much studied. But its literary qualities remain undervalued. This chapter reads it not as a stand-alone work, but as the climax of its author’s long history of biographical experimentation. It focuses in particular on the ‘episcopal equivalencies’—the two passages where Constantine is described as being bishop-like. These passages can only be properly understood when read against the backdrop of Eusebius’ construction of bishops in his earlier biographical writings.

Citation

Corke-Webster, J. (2020). A Bishop’s Biography: Eusebius of Caesarea and The Life of Constantine. In K. De Temmerman (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of ancient biography. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198703013.013.23

Acceptance Date Oct 6, 2015
Online Publication Date Dec 10, 2020
Publication Date Dec 10, 2020
Deposit Date Nov 30, 2015
Publicly Available Date Dec 10, 2022
Publisher Oxford University Press
Book Title The Oxford handbook of ancient biography.
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198703013.013.23

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