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30-645: In the West, the image seems to have developed from Byzantine precedents such as the coin of Constantine's Empress Fausta , crowned and with their sons on her lap and from literary examples, such as Flavius Cresconius Corippus 's celebration of Justin II 's coronation in 565. Paintings depicting the Maestà came into the mainstream artistic repertory, especially in Rome, in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, with an increased emphasis on

60-583: A translation with commentary by Ronald T. Ridley, was published in 1982 by the Australian Association of Byzantine Studies. Zosimus’ work contains multiple errors, some of them not found in any other extant source, such as wrongly reporting that all three of Constantine’s successors were not the sons of his wife Fausta . Edward Gibbon judged him as “unworthy of esteem and trust,” “poor in judgment,” and “a disingenuous liar.” Ludwig Mendelssohn observed that, “The more familiar one becomes with Zosimus,

90-452: Is clear that Photius and Evagrius did not have any more of Zosimus' work than what survives today. Yet it is likely that either a part of the work has been lost or, more likely, that Zosimus did not live to finish it; for it does not cover all the areas that Zosimus himself tells us he intended to discuss. There does not seem to be much probability in the conjecture that the monks and other ecclesiastics succeeded in suppressing that portion of

120-550: Is set against Crispus, as in the anonymous Epitome de Caesaribus , or conversely her adultery, perhaps with the stepson who was close to her in age, is suggested. According to the Latin Epitome de Caesaribus and the Ecclesiastical History of Philostorgius (as epitomized by Photius), Fausta was executed by being locked in a bath which was over heated, in connection with the death of Crispus, which "people [thought]"

150-442: Is that by Reitemeier, who, though he consulted no fresh manuscripts, made good use of the critical remarks of Heyne and other scholars (Leipzig, 1784). Bekker produced a reliable edition in 1837 at Bonn. There is a German translation by Seybold and Heyler, and also an English and a French translation. (Schöll, Gesch. d. Griech. Lit. vol. iii, p. 232 ; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. viii. p. 62.) The single good manuscript, in

180-621: The Maesta was dismantled in 1771, its power and beauty can only be imagined from scattered parts, some still in Siena, Italy, but others elsewhere. Other noted examples of the Maestà are Simone Martini 's Maestà in the Palazzo Pubblico , Siena, or Cimabue 's fresco in the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi . Fausta Flavia Maxima Fausta Augusta (died 326 AD) was a Roman empress. She

210-507: The Olympiodoran section, he offers precise figures and transliterations from the Latin, and favors Stilicho. The first book sketches briefly the history of the early Roman emperors from Augustus to Diocletian (305); the second, third and fourth deal more fully with the period from the accession of Constantius Chlorus and Galerius to the death of Theodosius I ; the fifth and sixth cover

240-487: The Roman Empire from a pagan point of view. Zosimus is the only non-Christian source for much of what he reports. In contrast to Polybius , who had narrated the rise of the Roman Empire, Zosimus documented the events and causes which led to its decline. Though the decline of the Roman Empire was Zosimus' primary subject, he also discussed events connected with Persian and Greek history, perhaps in imitation of Polybius. It

270-552: The Vatican Library (MS Vat. Gr. 156), was unavailable to scholars until the mid-19th century, although it lacks the conclusion of the first book and the beginning of the second. Ludwig Mendelssohn (Leipzig 1887) edited the first dependable text. The modern standard edition is F. Paschoud Zosime: Histoire Nouvelle (Paris 1971) which has a French translation, introduction and commentary. A later edition in English, Zosimus: New History

300-453: The city of Siena in 1308 from the artist Duccio di Buoninsegna . The painting was installed in the city's cathedral on June 9, 1311. Although it took a generation for its effect truly to be felt, Duccio's Maestà set Italian painting on a course leading away from the hieratic representations of Byzantine art towards more direct presentations of reality. Creating this altarpiece assembled from many wood panels bonded together before painting

330-505: The connection of overheated bathing with contemporaneous techniques of abortion, a suggestion that implies an unwanted, adulterous pregnancy from her relationship with Crispus and a fatal accident during the abortion. Constantine I ordered the damnatio memoriae of Fausta and Crispus around 326 with the result that no contemporary source records details of her fate: " Eusebius , ever the sycophant, mentions neither Crispus nor Fausta in his Life of Constantine , and even wrote Crispus out of

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360-466: The credibility of the historians whom Zosimus followed, for he did not adhere in all cases to their judgment with respect to events and characters. For instance, although Zosimus followed Eunapius for the period 270–404, he entirely differed from Eunapius in his account of Stilicho and Serena . Of post-medieval writers, Caesar Baronius , Lelio Bisciola , Kaspar von Barth , Johann Daniel Ritter , Richard Bentley , and G. E. M. de Ste. Croix , have taken

390-401: The derogatory side. Bentley in particular speaks of Zosimus with great contempt. On the other hand, his historical authority has been maintained by Leunclavius, G. B. von Schirach , J. Matth. Schrockh, and Reitemeier. Due to pagan leanings, Zosimos is said to have lost his advocatus fisci position in the imperial treasury, explaining his bitterness in his accounts. The history of Zosimus

420-540: The end of the 290s. To seal the alliance between them for control of the Tetrarchy , Maximian married her to Constantine I in 307. Constantine at first tried to present Maximian’s suicide as an unfortunate tragedy, but later started spreading another version where Fausta was involved in her father’s downfall. Barnes observed that the story “shows clear signs of being invented during Constantine’s war against Maxentius.” During her marriage, she had 5 children. Fausta held

450-403: The evil with a greater evil: having ordered baths to be heated above the normal level, he deposited Fausta in them and brought her out when she was dead. In Zonaras ' version written in the 12th century, Crispus' death was caused by Fausta's retaliatory accusation of rape following her unsuccessful sexual advances toward him. But when Constantine realized his innocence, he punished her, mirroring

480-457: The fifth century. For the period from 238 to 270, he apparently uses Dexippus ; for the period from 270 to 404, Eunapius ; and after 407, Olympiodorus . His dependence on his sources is made clear by the change in tone and style between the Eunapian and Olympiodoran sections, and by the gap left in between them. In the Eunapian section, for example, he is pessimistic and critical of Stilicho ; in

510-504: The film Constantine and the Cross (1961). Zosimus (historian) Zosimus ( Ancient Greek : Ζώσιμος [ˈzosimos] ; fl. 490s–510s) was a Greek historian who lived in Constantinople during the reign of the eastern Roman Emperor Anastasius I (491–518). According to Photius , he was a comes , and held the office of "advocate" of the imperial treasury . Zosimus

540-466: The final version of his Ecclesiastical History ( HE X.9.4)", Constantine's biographer Paul Stephenson observes. Although Julian praised Fausta in his panegyric to Constantius II , there is no other evidence of her memory being rehabilitated. Fausta is an important antagonist in Dorothy L. Sayers ' chronicle-play The Emperor Constantine (1951). In addition, Fausta was portrayed by Belinda Lee in

570-523: The myth of Phaedra and Hippolytus. Scholars have noted that if Crispus was found to be innocent, his condemnation of memory should have been lifted, but it was not. Although Hans Pohlsander dismissed the idea of Fausta’s death being accidental, viewing the condemnation of memory to be certain proof that Constantine intended to kill his wife, David Woods’ response was that, “Accidents continue to happen even to people deep in disgrace.” He suggested that Crispus and Fausta were not actually executed, offering

600-453: The other hand, suggests adultery as the reason: He killed Crispus, who had been deemed worthy of the rank of Caesar, as I have said before, when he incurred suspicion of having sexual relations with his stepmother Fausta, without taking any notice of the laws of nature. Constantine’s mother Helena was distressed at such a grievous event and refused to tolerate the murder of the young man. As if to soothe her [feelings] Constantine tried to remedy

630-411: The period between 395 and 410, when Priscus Attalus was deposed; for this period, he is the most important surviving non-ecclesiastical source. The work, which breaks off abruptly in the summer of 410 at the beginning of the sixth book, is believed to have been written in 498–518. The style is characterized by Photius as concise, clear and pure. The historian's object was to account for the decline of

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660-438: The title of nobilissima femina up until 324, when Constantine held her in high enough regard to grant her the title of augusta , which she received together with Constantine’s mother Helena . In 326, Fausta was put to death by Constantine, following the execution of Crispus , his eldest son by Minervina. The circumstances surrounding the two deaths were unclear. Various explanations have been suggested; in one, Fausta

690-438: The veneration of Mary. The Maestà was often executed in fresco technique directly on plastered walls or as paintings on gessoed wooden altar panels . A more domestic representation, suitable to private devotion, is the iconographic theme of Madonna and Child . The most famous example of the Maestà is the Maestà with Twenty Angels and Nineteen Saints , an altarpiece comprising many individual paintings commissioned by

720-435: The work in which the evil influences of their bodies were to be more especially touched upon. If the work was thus left incomplete, that circumstance would account for some carelessness of style which is here and there apparent. There may appear some difficulty at first sight, however, in the statement of Photius, that the work, in the form in which he saw it, appeared to him to be a second edition. But it would seem that Photius

750-621: Was first printed in the Latin translation of Leunclavius , accompanied by a defence of the historian (Basel, 1576, fol.). The first two books, in Greek, with the translation of Leunclavius, were printed by H. Stephanus, in his edition of Herodian (Paris, 1581). The first complete edition of the Greek text of Zosimus was that by F. Sylburg ( Scriptores Hist. Rom. Min. , vol. iii., Frankfurt, 1590). Later editions are those published at Oxford (1679), at Zeitz and Jena, edited by Cellarius, with annotations of his own and others (1679, 1713, 1729). The next edition

780-405: Was also known for condemning Constantine ’s rejection of the traditional polytheistic religion . Little more is known about the life of Zosimus except that he was Greek and a pagan. He was not a contemporary of the events of his books. Zosimus' Historia Nova (Ἱστορία Νέα, "New History") is written in Greek in six books and covers the period from 238 to 410 A.D. It was written at the end of

810-507: Was an arduous undertaking. The work was not only large, the central panel was 7 by 13 feet, but it had to be painted on both sides since it could be seen from all directions when installed on the main altar at the centre of the sanctuary. On the back of the Maesta were episodes from the life of Christ, focusing on his Passion. Sacred narrative unfolds in elegant episodes enacted by graceful figures who seem to dance their way through these stories while still conveying emotional content. Because

840-409: Was caused by Fausta's accusation of unclear nature. But Constantine, having obtained rule over the whole Roman Empire by remarkable success in wars, ordered his son Crispus to be put to death, at the behest (so people think) of his wife Fausta. Later he locked his wife Fausta in overheated baths and killed her, because his mother Helena blamed him out of excessive grief for her grandson. Zosimus , on

870-476: Was the daughter of Maximian and wife of Constantine the Great , who had her executed and excluded from all official accounts for unknown reasons. Historians Zosimus and Zonaras reported that she was executed for adultery with her stepson, Crispus . Fausta was the daughter of the emperor Maximian and his wife Eutropia . As her age is nowhere outright attested, scholarly estimates have ranged from 289/290 to

900-527: Was under some misapprehension. It is called in the manuscripts Historia Nova (in what sense is not quite clear). This may perhaps have misled Photius. He himself remarks that he had not seen the first edition. Zosimus was a pagan, and is by no means sparing of the faults and crimes of the Christian emperors. In consequence of this his credibility has been fiercely assailed by several Christian writers. The question does not, as has sometimes been supposed, turn upon

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