Nicola Ernst
Department: Classics and Ancient History
Discipline: Classics and Ancient History
Project Summary
My PhD project, Singled Out With Their Father’s Honours: The Sons of Constantine in Religious Politics (A.D. 337-361) seeks to elevate the importance of the reigns of Constantine’s three sons (Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans) and the relationship they forged between Church and State in the mid-fourth century. It will argue that the sons of Constantine were responsible for the formation of the idea of the ‘Christian emperor’ seen in the later fourth century and beyond, more so than their more famous father. It will examine how they responded to challenges from ecclesiastical authority, and how they promoted Christianity in a way that was similar to, and different than Constantine. This will be demonstrated through examination of the role of the sons in ecclesiastical debates and issues, theological councils, ecclesiastical benefactions such as church building, and the patronage of Christian groups. Through investigation of the religious actions and policies of the successors of Constantine, this thesis will argue that the sons of Constantine and their religious decision-making were vital for the evolution of the later accepted relationship between Church and State.
Supervisory Team
Primary Supervisor: Professor Richard Flower
Secondary Supervisor: Professor Morwenna Ludlow
Wider Research Interests
My research interests mainly lie in the Later Roman Empire, where I am endlessly fascinated by the changing administrative, political, and religious climates, especially following the age of Diocletian (c.284), and what this meant for the emperor. I am also interested in the Patristic writers and how they interact with the emperor and the imperial state.
