In many respects this is a great book and a fascinating read. It does a much better job than previous studies of outlining Helenaâs life against the background and in the context of political and dynastic entanglements during the Tetrarchy and the reign of Constantine. It will rapidly become the standard monograph on Helena.
Julia Hillner is Professor of Ancient History at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. She is the author of Prison, Punishment and Penance in Late Antiquity.