Imperial piety in action: The Theodosians in church

This paper discusses the participation of the three Theodosian emperors, Theodosius I, Arcadius and Theodosius II, in the cathedral liturgy at Constantinople and in other forms of Christian devotion in the city. It is argued that there was a significant change in the style of imperial churchgoing during these three generations, that a remarkable number of innovations can be credited to Theodosius II, and that the most important of these should be dated to the time when he was emerging into adulthood. Another key argument is that the evolution of the ‘Christian Prince’ in the eastern capital was not a straightforward, linear development; emphasis is placed instead upon a number of contingencies (starting with the unprecedented vacuum created by Theodosius I’s eviction of the incumbent bishop in 380), and upon competitive reactions to initiatives taken by the rival imperial court of the west. The emergence during this period of a Christian palatine elite, firmly rooted in Constantinople, is also identified as a key structural development

Imperial piety in action: The Theodosians in church

This paper discusses the participation of the three Theodosian emperors, Theodosius I, Arcadius and Theodosius II, in the cathedral liturgy at Constantinople and in other forms of Christian devotion in the city. It is argued that there was a significant change in the style of imperial churchgoing during these three generations, that a remarkable number of innovations can be credited to Theodosius II, and that the most important of these should be dated to the time when he was emerging into adulthood. Another key argument is that the evolution of the ‘Christian Prince’ in the eastern capital was not a straightforward, linear development; emphasis is placed instead upon a number of contingencies (starting with the unprecedented vacuum created by Theodosius I’s eviction of the incumbent bishop in 380), and upon competitive reactions to initiatives taken by the rival imperial court of the west. The emergence during this period of a Christian palatine elite, firmly rooted in Constantinople, is also identified as a key structural development