Select Bibliography

The earliest manuscript Acts of the Theban Legion are analyzed in L. Dupraz: Les Passions de St Maurice d’Agaune, Fribourg, 1961, and are criticized in D. Van Berchem: Le Martyre de la Légion Thébaine, Basle, 1956. They are also recorded in MGH III (Monumenta Historica Germanicarum)p. 32–41.

The basic data is in D. O’Reilly: ‘Eagle Between Banners on Roman Coinage’, SAN 8:1976; ‘Maximian’s Bagaudae Campaign of 286’, SAN 8:1977 and ‘The Mystery of London’s Fetter Lane Hoard’, SAN 9:1978. Part of the evidence is brought together in D. O’Reilly: ‘The Theban Legion of St Maurice’, Vigiliae Christianae, Leiden 1977. For analysis of the Autun inscription, see D. O’Reilly: ‘An Autun Inscription to the Theban Legion’s Martyrs at Acaunus’, The Ancient World, Chicago, 1978.

For chronology H.M.D. Parker: History of the Roman World 137–338 A.D., N.Y. 1958 is followed. On the army G. Watson: The Roman Soldier (GRS), Ithaca 1969 serves as guide. Also recommended are Y. Le Bohec: The Imperial Roman Army, N.Y. 1990; M. Grant: The Army of the Caesars, London 1992 and G. Webster: The Roman Imperial Army, N.Y. 1984. The period in focus is in D.Van Berchem: L Armée de Diocletian et la reforme Constantinienne, Paris 1952.

A conflict of moral loyalties is described in J. Helgeland: Christians and the Roman Army, Church History, Chicago 1974. The view that pagan rites and not bloodshed caused Christian avoidance of the military is that of E.A. Ryan: ‘Rejection of Military Service by Early Christians’, Theological Studies, Washington, D.C. 1952. C.J. Cadoux: The Early Christian Attitude Towards War, N.Y. 1982 rp of 1912 is a classic. L.J. Swift: The Early Fathers on War and Military Service, Wilmington 1983 concisely surveys newer research.

W.H.C. Frend: Martyrdom and Persecution in the Early Church, N.Y. 1967 surveys events and the same author’s The Rise of Christianity covers the social and philosophical struggles. M. Sordi: The Christians and the Roman Empire, Norman 1986 analyzes the changes in Roman religious policy with objective perspectives not found elsewhere. The pagan and stoic background is presented in R.L. Fox: Pagans and Christians, N.Y. 1986 and T.R. Glover: The Conflict of Religions in the Early Roman Empire, N.U. 1975 rp of 1909 quotes many pagan criticisms of Christianity at length.

F.G. Holweck: Biographical Dictionary of the Saints, Detroit 1969 is a starting point for hagiography. F. Halkin, Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina 1949 and the same editor’s Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca 1957 published by the Bollandists at Brussels are key to the earliest sources. These collections begun in the seventeenth century containing complete Acts by feast days in the Church calendar now date several weeks in error because of changes from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. The Analecta Bollandiana (AB) begun in 1882 analyzes the material.

The 222 volumes of J.P. Migne, Patrologiae Cursus Completus, Serie Graeca (MPG) and 168 volumes of J.P. Migne, Patrologiae Cursus Completus, Serie Latini (MPL) reprinted in 1979 are the most extensive source collection.