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Rating: 
Summary: The best book on Constantine the Great.
Review: Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea and author of the first history of the Church, wrote The Life of Constantine, or Vita Constantini. This book praised the Emperor for changing the Empire from one that persecuted Christians to an Empire that supported Christianity. Many modern scholars believe that much of what Eusebius, who acutally met the Emperor, was false. Before this book, translated by Averil Cameron and Stuart G. Hall, the last English translation was a greek version from the 17th century. This refreshing translation also offers a section of notes that is as long as the Vita Constantini is itself. This book is a must have for all graduate students and very serious undergrads.
Rating:
Summary: The best book on Constantine the Great.
Review: Eusebius, the bishop of Caesarea and author of the first history of the Church, wrote The Life of Constantine, or Vita Constantini. This book praised the Emperor for changing the Empire from one that persecuted Christians to an Empire that supported Christianity. Many modern scholars believe that much of what Eusebius, who acutally met the Emperor, was false. Before this book, translated by Averil Cameron and Stuart G. Hall, the last English translation was a greek version from the 17th century. This refreshing translation also offers a section of notes that is as long as the Vita Constantini is itself. This book is a must have for all graduate students and very serious undergrads.
Rating: 
Summary: Serious stuff
Review: This volume is a very scholarly translation of Eusebius' Vita Constantini into English, with a major introduction, massive notes (at the back) and bibliographical details. The detail in the notes alone makes it worth the purchase, while the discussion of issues in the introduction is masterly. The intellectual integrity of Eusebius is discussed and upheld, the role of the work as panegyric rather than history discussed; even the authenticity of the chapter titles is handled (Cameron and Hall reject this). The only gripe I have is that the notes are at the back, rather than at the foot of each page. I found I had to read it flipping to and fro. And one simply doesn't *want* to miss the comments -- they are detailed, documented, and tremendously informative. This is in quite a different league to the ordinary English translation-only volume. It is easily of the same standard as the Ancient Christian Writers series, and in fact probably better, as it has less philology and much more useful historical matter. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Serious stuff
Review: This volume is a very scholarly translation of Eusebius' Vita Constantini into English, with a major introduction, massive notes (at the back) and bibliographical details. The detail in the notes alone makes it worth the purchase, while the discussion of issues in the introduction is masterly. The intellectual integrity of Eusebius is discussed and upheld, the role of the work as panegyric rather than history discussed; even the authenticity of the chapter titles is handled (Cameron and Hall reject this). The only gripe I have is that the notes are at the back, rather than at the foot of each page. I found I had to read it flipping to and fro. And one simply doesn't *want* to miss the comments -- they are detailed, documented, and tremendously informative. This is in quite a different league to the ordinary English translation-only volume. It is easily of the same standard as the Ancient Christian Writers series, and in fact probably better, as it has less philology and much more useful historical matter. Highly recommended.
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