Helena AugustaThis study on Flavia Julia Helena Augusta, mother of Constantine the Great, is divided into two parts. The purpose of the first part is to ascertain the facts of Helena's life on the basis of reliable historical sources. The second part deals with the legends concerning the discovery of the True Cross in Jerusalem by Helena. Fact and fiction, which are so often confused in the secondary literature, are carefully distinguished. The first part deals with subjects like Helena's life before the reign of Constantine, her residences in Trier and Rome, her conversion, her position at the court of Constantine, and her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The second part investigates the origin, development and function of the legends of the discovery of the True Cross, which were developed in the 4th and 5th centuries: the Helena legend, the (Syriac) Protonike legend and the Judas Cyriacus legend. An appendix deals with the portraits of Helena. |
Contents
Helenas life before the reign of Constantine | 9 |
Trier and Rome | 21 |
Helenas conversion | 35 |
Helenas death | 73 |
The Helena legend | 79 |
The development of the Helena legend | 95 |
The sources of the Helena legend | 119 |
The construction of the Helena legend | 131 |
The Protonike legend | 147 |
The Judas Cyriacus legend | 165 |
Epilogue | 181 |
Appendix Portraits of Helena | 189 |
Principal sources | 195 |
| 213 | |
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Common terms and phrases
Abgar According Addai Agricius Alföldi Ambrose Ambrose's anti-Jewish Antioch Arianism basilica became Bishop of Jerusalem Christ Christian Chron Church History coins connection considered Constantine Constantinople Constantius Chlorus Crispus crucified crucis Cyril Cyril of Jerusalem death dedicated Drepanum Drijvers E.D. Hunt Eccl Edessa Egeriae emperor empire empress Epist Eusebius fact faith Fausta fifth century fourth century frescoes Gelasius Golgotha Greek H.A. Drake Helena Augusta Helena of Adiabene Helena's discovery Helenopolis Hist historians Holy Sepulchre Ibid identified imperial inscription ISBN 90 Jerome Jesus Jewish Jews Judaism Judas Cyriacus Julian Latin legend letter Licinius Lucian Macarius Melania mentioned Messiah mother Mount of Olives nails Nicomedia origin pagan Palestine Paulinus of Nola pilgrims portraits probably Protonike queen relics Roman Rome Rufinus Socrates sources Sozomen statue story Straubinger Sulpicius Severus Syriac T.D. Barnes temple Theodoret Theodosius Trier True Cross Tschira Vogt Winkelmann woman