Emperor and Senators in the Reign of Constantius II: Maintaining Imperial Rule Between Rome and Constantinople in the Fourth Century AD (Cambridge Classical Studies)

In this book, Muriel Moser investigates the relationship between the emperors Constantine I and his son Constantius II (AD 312-361) and the senators of Constantinople and Rome. She examines and contextualizes the integration of the social elites of Rome and the Eastern provinces into the imperial system and demonstrates their increased importance for the maintenance of imperial rule in response to political fragility and fragmentation. An in-depth analysis of senatorial careers and imperial legislation is combined with a detailed assessment of the political context - shared rule, the suppression of usurpations, Constantius' use of Constantine's memory. Using a wide range of literary, epigraphic, numismatic, and legal sources, some of which are as yet unpublished, this volume produces significant new readings of the history of the senates in Rome and Constantinople, of the construction of imperial rule and of historical change in Late Antiquity. Read more... Cover Half-title Series information Title page Copyright information Table of contents List of Figures Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction Part I A Unified Roman Empire (ad 312-337) Chapter 1 Constantine and the Senate of Rome Roman Senators in a Reunited Empire Forging Political Alliances Late Tokens of Favour Conclusion Chapter 2 Constantine's Eastern Roman Empire Recruiting Local Support in the East A Constantinian Senate in Constantinople? A New Imperial Hierarchy? The Comites Constantine's Eastern Roman Empire Conclusion Part II Ruling the East (ad 337-350)Chapter 3 The Senatorial Officials of Constantius II A Separated Empire? The Senatorial Officials of Constantius II: 337 to 350 Harnessing Roman Senators Imperial Competition over Rome? Conclusion Chapter 4 Remembering Constantine in Antioch and Constantinople Antioch Promoting Constantinople Praetorships in Constantinople Rewriting Imperial Funerals Good Son and Senior Augustus Conclusion Part III Ruler of Rome and Constantinople (ad 350-361) Chapter 5 Crisis and Innovation Usurpations in the West The Eastern Guard A Senate in ConstantinopleStatues of Loyalty Defender of the Constantinian Heritage Conclusion Chapter 6 Romanizing Constantinople The Emergence of an Eastern Cursus Honorum Expansion and Division of the Senatorial Order Praetorships A New Traditional Senatorial Aristocracy A Second Roman Senate in Constantinople Urban Investments Legitimizing Revolution Conclusion Chapter 7 A Roman Triumph Senatorial Policies Celebrating Constantius in Rome Roman Religions Reassurances in Rome Surpassing Constantine in Rome Conclusion Conclusion Appendix A: Roman Senators in Office in Asia and Syria, 275-305Appendix B: Senatorial Posts in the Eastern Administration (Oriens) under Constantine, 324-337 Appendix C: The Higher Ranking Senatorial Administration, 337-349 Appendix D: The Higher Ranking Eastern Senatorial Administration in the East (Illyricum and Oriens), 350-361 Appendix E: The Expanded Lower Ranking Senatorial Administration in the East (Illyricum and Oriens), 350-361 Appendix F: Notes on the Praetorships of 361 Bibliography I Primary Sources II Secondary Sources Index "In late 324 the emperor Constantine celebrated his final victory over Licinius, and his consequent rise to sole power, by founding a new city which he named after himself, Constantinople. He now needed to win acceptance among the eastern population whose emperor he had just defeated. The engagement of the provincial elite with the imperial regime was a crucial component in maintaining imperial rule, and was traditionally facilitated by grants of privileges, high rank and honours"-- Provided by publisher Sheds new light on the relationship between the emperor and his senators in the later Roman Empire, focusing on Constantius II, son of Constantine the Great. Provides new insights into imperial relations to the senates in Constantinople and Rome and the construction of late antique imperial rule and ideology.