The first book in English on the Roman prison, and the first on the Roman prison's late antique incarnation as a penal institution. It describes how late Roman penal strategies, in particular different spatial forms of imprisonment, responded to new social values of penance and purification of society.
The narrative explores the life of Flavia Iulia Helena, the mother of Constantine, shedding light on her influence in the Roman world. It delves into the literary controversies, stunning imperial art, and captivating legends surrounding her, providing insight into the significant roles that imperial women played in the dynastic politics of the fourth century. Through Helena's story, the book highlights the complexities and impact of her life on the era's cultural and political landscape.
This volume results from the international research project ‘The Migration of Faith: Clerical Exile in Late Antiquity (325‒c.600)’. The project is a collaboration between the Department of History at the University of Sheffield, the Seminar für Kirchengeschichte at the University of Halle, and the Department of Culture and Society at Aarhus University. Ten chapters of the volume are revised versions of papers delivered at the XVII International Conference on Patristic Studies held in Oxford in 2015. The three chapters of the first part of the volume discuss the question of „Clerical Exile and Social Control“. The second part offers five selected case studies from the 3rd to the 6th centuries. The final part deals with discourses, memories, and legacies of clerical exile in late antiquity.